Comments on: Green-Glowing Monkeys Are Called a Genetic Engineering Milestone

By: Skeptikor

Skeptikor — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:08:51 +0000

Elegiac: Unfortunately the genes that they will be injecting these monkeys with, and have been injecting mice with for a long time, are all too “natural”. They are genes that cause diseases that humans (and some animals) can suffer from. By creating strains of transgenic mice or monkeys, we can better study the behavior of the disease and how it responds to different treatments. The fact that they are now able to create transgenic monkeys is important to research because the monkey genome more closely matches the human genome that does the mouse genome.

That’s the justification. However I share your feelings about this whole line of experimentation, especially when it involves animals that are so closely related to us. I would not be able to conduct those experiments, but I benefit from the results, so cannot condemn those who do.

By: Elegiac View

Elegiac View — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:26:04 +0000

No, I’m not against scientific research, but this… it seems senseless. To a point, it even looks like animal cruelty. Why do we want to inject unnatural genes into animals (or humans, for that matter)? If someone can give me a logical explanation, I’d be much obliged.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:54:26 +0000

Would the glowing cells look any different if they were cancerous? Could this be used to detect abnormal cells from the start?

By: Jumblepudding

Jumblepudding — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:30:05 +0000

I always compared the likelihood of the christian rapture to the likelihood of purple marmosets falling from the sky. Sounds like we’re one step closer to the latter, so who knows.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:34:15 +0000

I have a great application for UV light sensitive proteins in primates – sun damage indicator spots. When your skin starts glowing green, GTFInside or re-apply that sunblock.

Also, it would be wicked cool at a rave. Sign me up when the have the ability to implant these genes in an already-birthed human.

By: Jasper

Jasper — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:23:07 +0000

Now introduce some bird genes and we can have flying monkeys that glow green.

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:05:19 +0000

What do you mean no practical application? I predict UV lights will be basic monkey-detection and defense in the all to certain even of a monkey uprising.