Like many people, I haven’t done a whole lot of thinking about the ethics of genetic research. I’m embarrassed to say that I can’t exactly tell you what a stem cell is. Nevertheless, I do understand that the things scientists are able to do – and the things they will be able to do very soon – implicate profound questions about whether we, as an ethical society, should be able to do, or even attempt, such things.
Today’s revelation of glow-in-the-dark pigs is a splash of cold water to my languor concerning the ethics of genetic research.
Did any of you seriously think this would happen in your lifetime? A group of Taiwanese scientists have bred bioluminescent pigs by injecting pig embryos with jellyfish DNA. I’m completely serious when I wonder how far we are from a real-life Peter Parker, whose embryo was injected with spider DNA with interesting results.
On one hand, it is mind-blowingly cool that scientists devised these glowing pigs. On the other, it is frightening to think about what we’re becoming capable of.
via boingboing
by Sally
Drew, Amber and Megan - Dr. Suess would be proud
Kristen - This is so scary!