What I find hilarious is how these got there name (look up Dr. Edward Southern if you're interested)
The Southern blot is used for
DNA analysis and was routinely used for genetic fingerprinting and
paternity testing prior to the development of microsatellite markers for this purpose. The procedure is also frequently used to determine the number of copies of a gene in the genome. The concepts of the Southern blot were used in the development and creation of the modern microarray slide, which is an extensively used experimental tool.
The
northern blot is a similar procedure for
RNA, playing off the Southern name.
The
western blot is a further pun on the Southern blot, but is an important research tool in protein detection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Southern