# The Math Gene...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 6, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055 "2001-08-06T00:38:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![luthienfett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@luthienfett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luthienfett)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055/1 "2001-08-06T00:38:43Z")

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The reason I am posting this is that I was reading Cecil’s column about whether Newton was a virgin or not.

In the column,he said that “How the math gene perpetuates itself is one of the mysteries of our age”

I don’t know whether he was ironic or not, but as the daughter of two mathematicians, (who met in the maths building of their university), I had to comment.

I don’t know how the math gene perpetuates itself either…since I’m HOPELESS at maths. Ironically. Maybe I’m lacking a gene somewhere, who knows.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055/2 "2001-08-06T05:13:15Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.  
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.  
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL).

Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:  
[Was Isaac Newton a virgin? (21-Jun-1996)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_208.html)

The column ( **including** Slug Signorino’s illustration) can also be found on pages 208-209 of Cecil Adams’ book «[_The Straight Dope Tells All_](http://www.straightdope.com/otheroutlets/books.html)».

* * *

moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)»

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055/3 "2001-08-06T05:16:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by luthienfett \*  
> I don’t know whether he (_Cecil Adams_) was ironic or not …

If there’s any doubt, then that’s your answer: you can safely assume irony.

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**Author:** ![Oystaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@Oystaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oystaman)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055/4 "2001-08-10T05:06:50Z")

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It’s the "spirit"s little joke. heheh

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**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055/5 "2001-08-15T05:07:12Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by luthienfett \*  
> **In the column,he said that "How the math gene perpetuates itself is one of the mysteries of our age"**

The latest theory is that the math gene doesn’t just divide and multiply like others do, it uses logarithms.