Japanese scientists genetically engineer mice that are not afraid of cats!

ablaye · #1 (**permalink**) 12-14-2007, 01:50 AM

Quote:

TOKYO - Cat and mouse may never be the same. Japanese scientists say they've used genetic engineering to create mice that show no fear of felines, a development that may shed new light on mammal behavior and the nature of fear itself.

Scientists at Tokyo University say they were able to successfully switch off a mouse's instinct to cower at the smell or presence of cats — showing that fear is genetically hardwired and not learned through experience, as commonly believed.

And what was the point of this??? You don't mess with mother nature. If mice are afraid of cats, that's for a reason!

josechukkiri · #2 (**permalink**) 12-18-2007, 05:25 PM

The instinct of scientists are going up. Now it is with cat and mouse. Man's development, in every step of time, was like that. We cannot say to invest this and that. It comes automaticaly time to time. Some times This will lead to some unpredicted spheres.

c4cyber · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2008, 05:24 AM

I wonder what's the benefit of having mouse around you which are not afraid of cats anymore. What will happen to countries where a mice are avoided in the house only by keeping pet cats? I hope these people do something more benefical than running after nature.

creek23 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 05:11 AM

better make human not afraid of mice anymore. :P

baseballworld · #5 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 02:27 AM

so the mice arent affraid meaning they will get killed off easier.

Jacob · #6 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 09:56 PM

You guys are missing the point; scientists aren't going to just grab a human and mess around with their brains like they did in ww2.

They need to start small so-as not to damage humans (who are considered more important).
Mice are common test subjects as, iirc, their genetic structure is similar to that of humans (immune system, etc.)
They are also small and easy to contain.

It makes perfect logical sense to grab a mouse, pump some dna into him, monitor the effects and theoreticize about what would happen to humans before refining the technique using mice and other mammals, and then finally doing tests on humans.

Such developments could use used to cure anxiety attacks for instance. It will also shed light on the hardwiring of the brain, allowing mankind to further develop our knowledge and understanding of the universe.

You need to take in its meaning, not its story.

TVDinner · #7 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 02:15 AM

this is a little scary and the bigger implications could be very very scary when they start genetically changing people to be the way they want them to be.