Jane Austen once again assists science
Now, THIS is totally cool.
A researcher at the University of Bradford in the UK has developed a computer program with an algorithm that can map the human genome. His testing method is of interest to Janeites.
Professor Shepherd originally tested his computer programme on the entire text of Emma by Jane Austen after removing all the spaces and punctuation, leaving just a long impenetrable line of letters. Despite having no knowledge of the English vocabulary or syntax, the programme managed to identify 80 per cent of the words and separate them back into sentences.
Wouldn’t Jane be proud? Imagine if this algorithm and the work done with it leads to a cure for Addison’s disease (among other things).
November 20th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
This algorithm could get through Miss Bates rambles?? — that’s impressive.