Back in 1975, a brilliant scientist named Ed Southern invented a technique to detect specific DNA sequences. He named it, with zero ego, the Southern blot. Capital “S” because it’s a proper name. It’s like naming a sandwich after yourself—Ed Southern’s sandwich, but for DNA.
Then came the Northern blot for RNA. See what they did there? It’s a geographical pun. Southern? Northern? Get it? Ba-dum-tss. But Northern blot isn’t a proper name—it’s a joke tribute. So it’s usually written lowercase “northern blot,” though some journals still capitalize it out of habit. Confusing? Oh, we’re just getting started.
Enter the Western Blot: The Wild Card
When scientists needed a technique to detect proteins, they thought, “Let’s keep the theme going!” And they named it the Western blot. But here’s the kicker: it’s named after the direction, not a person. There is no Dr. Western. There’s no Professor West. It’s literally a joke about the American West—cowboys, tumbleweeds, and protein bands on a membrane.
So, technically, it should be lowercase: “western blot.” But wait! The scientific community, in a moment of collective chaotic energy, decided “Western blot” is capitalized because it’s a proper noun derived from a proper name (the Southern blot). Irony overload! It’s a capitalized joke about a capitalized name that was never a name. Science is weird, and I love it.
