Pretty cute, except under UV light.Congratulations to marmosets, the latest species to join mice, rabbits, cats and pigs in the glowing animal clan. These animals all have a protein (GFP, first found in bioluminescent jellyfish) attached to most every other protein in their body, which gives them an eerie neon-green glow under UV light. The green glow helps scientists visualize how complex biological systems work in live animals. Now scientists are one step closer to doing just that in higher primates. Pretty cool if you're interested in llearning about human diseases in nonhuman animals, but some people are worried. Every popular media article I've read on the monkeys features the ethical issue of experimenting with the genetics of our close ancestors. So, what do you think? Is altering inherited DNA in monkeys a step too far towards genetically engineering humans?
2 comments:
OMG, glowing evil monkeys attack! Unsuspecting humans think they are so cute! Then they kill you under a black light next to velvet pictures! Oh no, stoners! You are all the first to die!
Seriously, this has horror movie AAALLLLL over it.
I thought it was Bonobos that boned like rabbits. Or maybe all monkeys bone like rabbits compared to humans.
It's definitely more discomforting to see a transgenic, glowing monkey than a fruit fly, even though the same technique is used. Not sure how I feel about this, I can envision monkeys with rattlesnake venom and spidey powers doing some real damage on humanity.
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