Green Glowing Pigs in Taiwan

[dsio]

I just thought this was brilliant. Someone in Taiwan has created 3 genetically modified pigs, infused with Jellyfish DNA, which glow bright green in the dark.

During the day they have a slight greenish tint to their skin. Now how cool is that?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4605202.stm

[danrok]

I think those scientists need to get a grip and perhaps get proper jobs sweeping roads or something useful.

[Toro]

yeah, saw that the other day in the paper

slighty disconcerting

they are glowing throughout, from their inner most innerds, to the outter most outterds

and ps... they dont glow green in the dark, only when a blue light is shinned upon them

[dsio]

Hmm... I wonder if they leave green glowing turds?

[Toro]

I would imagine that if they pass any of their own innerds, then yes they would.
So i would think that it would only be glowing if they ate glowing food in the first place

[aghastpumpkin]

Originally Posted by dsio

Hmm... I wonder if they leave green glowing turds?

[danrok]

All turds glow green if given time.

[Kaitain]

Originally Posted by danrok

I think those scientists need to get a grip and perhaps get proper jobs sweeping roads or something useful.

Actually this is an incredibly useful development! Unfortunately news sites seem to be rather scared of science, so they've reported that Taiwanese scientists have made fully-green pigs, but have been shy of reporting why these pigs are important. So here goes:

These pigs are to be used in medical research in the fields of gene therapy, stem cell research and cloning research. One of the biggest problems in all three of these is that, since you're implanting genetically similar material into the host animal, when you go to look at how the tissue has developed, you don't know which is the host tissue and which is the implant tissue.

Now, when scientists harvest stem cells or sequence a new gene therapy, they will do so with pink pig cells and DNA, implanting them into a green pig. At the end of the experiment, they can see simply whether the implanted cells have taken and thrived simply by shining a blue light on the relevant bit of pig. Those bits that don't glow in the dark are implant cells.

Previously, seeing whether treatments had taken required hundreds, if not thousands, of tests from various parts of pig - this visibly (ha) reduces the amount of testing required.

Why pigs? Well, for some unknown reason, pigs are incredibly similar to humans.

[dsio]

Thank you farmer Bob.

[Favu]

I know a few humans who are incredibly similar to pigs...

[Toro]

pigs have been pretty useful for us...

providing organ transplants, factor5 as well

not to mention food

[danrok]

Bacon rolls still remain the best use.

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by danrok

Bacon rolls still remain the best use.

Use before it turns green is my advice.

[Toro]

thats good advice, if ever i heard it

[danrok]

It's OK just cook it for a bit longer, wash it down with a large JD and you'll be fine!

[robbie]

Why pigs? Well, for some unknown reason, pigs are incredibly similar to humans.

I've been called worse!!!