what contribution to human kind could SHE have possibly made to have a genus of plants named after her? i am sure there are more worthy recipients of this honour, despite the 'dna sequence... if they looked long enough, i am sure they could find other more worthy names within the dna sequence, after all, its extremely long!!she isn't even a good role model for young children who listen to her music...
Does strike me as decidedly sordid. Surely they could have found something better to name the genus after.
Well, they got the press and people talking about it - how many other ferns manage to make it into the popular media?
Well, golly, aren't we a bunch of stodgy codgers! One might even say intolerant. Possibly ignorant as well. Far be it from me to incite a riot, but I will respectfully ask if those members who are anti-Gaga have ever given her music a serious listen...? Or know anything about her? What d'you think of the horsefly named after Beyonce? Is that OK? Obama's lichen? Helen Mirren's pitcher plant? How can these be OK while Gaga's ferns are not? And we are to ignore the Lady's philanthropy---such as her $500,000 to help rebuild Haiti, $1.5 million to post-earthquake Japan, her efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, LGBT activism, Born This Way Foundation...? Clearly, these humanitarian efforts are horrid examples for children to follow. How repulsive to reach out to those in need! And please let's overlook her artistic and musical talent. Would rather have Gaga than Agag. Perhaps if we all learned to put aside knee-jerk reactions to those we perceive to be different from ourselves, we would discover that we do indeed have much in common with one another---and the world would become a place in which we ALL could exist more happily.
Must admit, didn't know about that, and it does change my views (though I'm still not keen on her music!).
Why the uproar? The reasons given for naming the genus after Gaga seem reasonable, the DNA sequence in particular. Granted not everyone likes her music but surely it's not inappropriate to honor someone whose music gives a significant contingent of the world's population enjoyment. I don't consider myself a fan of hers but I did enjoy many of the songs on her Monster double CD - most artists cannot deliver on that level.
I'm a bit skeptical of the GAGA DNA sequence -- I'm going to have to read the original article when our issue of Systematic Botany gets distributed here to understand what that's all about. Generally, though, since DNA sequences are represented by only 4 letters (G,A,C,T), the chances of there being a GAGA sequence are pretty high. Here's an extremely small sequence from some insect -- I spotted three GAGA sequences, perhaps there are more even in this small sample.
Because normally, the naming, if after a person, would be honouring someone directly connected with the taxon. This would most typically be the discoverer of the taxon, or someone closely connected with research into the taxon or closely related taxa; sometimes also persons who provide funding for research into the taxon (which could be Ms Gaga if she had made a significant donation to the study of this new genus). I'd agree with Daniel, the DNA sequence GAGA is likely to occur somewhere in most, if not all, species.
That convention is based on rewarding and immortalizing the researcher but if the researcher selflessly chooses to confer the honour to someone else then the decision to do so should be respected. The explanation provided by professor Pryer in the video suggests it was a group decision. Please follow up with what you find out. I'd like to know.
OMG! Neil Young only got ONE spider! A Trapdoor Spider that hides underground. No fair. On the basis of natural law & equity, he should've gotten a FAMILY!
Ha! I am most gratified to report that the great Lou Reed has a spider GENUS named in his honor. Most appropriately, it is a velvet spider that lives underground! http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-israeli-spider-genus-named-after-lou-reed/
It turns out this is not the first taxonomic assignation in honour of Lady Gaga: New to Nature No 84: Aleiodes gaga. Here's a list of other musicians similarly honoured: Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature. I'm glad to see The Beatles in the list.
my intention was not to start a riot,LOL!! but to point out that a DNA sequence is EXTREMELY long, and i am sure someone more worthy could have been honoured. yes Lady gaga does do some worthy things, yet to give ones pocket change is hardly admirable. what about the grandmothers living on social security who give half their income to places like CCF? will anyone ever acknowledge their contribution? the world is full of worthy people deserving of having this honour...
