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China Heralds Year of the Fluorescent Green Pig
Apocalypse111 writes "Chinese scientists have successfully bred partially green fluorescent pigs which they hope will boost stem cell research. A research team at the Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin managed to breed three transgenic pigs by injecting fluorescent green protein into embryonic pigs. Xinhua quoted Professor Liu Zhonghua as saying. 'The mouth, trotters and tongue of the pigs are green under ultraviolet light'."
So I'll take my Egg McMuffin with the Florescent Green Canadian Bacon. Hmmm. I think not.
Here's an accomplishment that will create a real conundrum for the Green Party. Is the pig a symbol to be cherished, a genetic freak to be feared, or some combination.
Davis http://davis.foulger.net
I mean seriously that is all the picture looks like right?
-- Brought to you by Carl's JR
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
From China with love,
This slashdot-related signature is a stub. You can help kihjin by expanding it.
... Green Eggs Soon To Follow.
In other news, Hormel spokesperson Sam I Am is the Public Relations Man Of The Year according to...
Yahoo! Pipes are awesome. How awesome? http://pipes.yahoo.com/jesdynf/slashdot
Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny, anyone?
Old news
... all they need now is some wings.
compare with old news.
#
#\ @ ? Colonize Mars
#
Animals glowing green in the dark was invented 1986 in Chernobyl.
Cripes they're mixing pigs with jellyfish and the most interesting thing they can think to do with it is make the pig green? How about breeding a pig with deadly stinging tentacles? Now that would be something truly worthwhile!
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
... but do they have frigin laserbeams attached to their heads?
While I'm sure multiple trials of such things help at least in terms of adding to the data pool. But things like this sure do not win them any points in terms of public perception. I'm all for this research for medical benefits, but I'm not looking forward to the inevitable mutant animals.
"Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
Chinese pirates must of found a way to create a cheap imitation....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4605202.st m
Below is the info I wanted to know that's not included in MSNBC link
The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human disease. Because the pig's genetic material encodes a protein that shows up as green, it is easy to spot.
So if, for instance, some of its stem cells are injected into another animal, scientists can track how they develop without the need for a biopsy or invasive test.
This is old news. Close to a year ago, there was an article over fluorescent green genetically altered pigs made in Taiwan. The story's the same: three pigs, all male, same pictures, and it's even on MSN. Just like last time.
What is it with some news orgs calling this a Chinese development? Is it solidarity with the communists?
t m
The BBC used the correct name, it's Taiwan and it's been independant for some time now. Get over it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4605202.s
I'd go on a Vegan diet but the delivery time from Vega is too long. --brownkitty
Xinhua confirm that Chinese scientists have successfully tested a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes that can rotate on a shaft or axle.
This appears to be a new type of dupe. I googled for fluorescent pigs and got this latest "news" swamping the top 30 results. Add a -china -taiwan and some reports from around 2001-2002 came up, including a research paper entitled:
"Transgenic pig expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein produced by nuclear transfer" Jul 2002.
Did anyone else have the feeling they had read this a seriously long time ago?
Given a research paper and a few years, Chinese scientists seem to be able to invent anything.
You've heard of goats at the Frat party, here's pigs to take to the rave!
The other day at ShopRite I've seen a package of green bacon. I was worried it went bad (you know, "manager's special"). Silly me. Now I know green bacon comes from green fluorescent transgenic pigs, of course.
first steps to soylent green?
That photo in tfa screams Pink Floyd! And, as for flying pigs... http://www.batterseapowerstation.org.uk/floyd/floy d.html
All that is left now is to insert the gene for fuckin' lasers on the head into embryonic sharks.
DYWYPI?
Night shot camera?? I mean seriously that is all the picture looks like right?
Unless I'm missing something here, I've already seen similar footage involving Paris Hilton in a hotel room. I wasn't aware that she was the result of a genetic experiment, but it sure would explain a lot.
Push Button, Receive Bacon
The main picture of the article shows animals created by Taiwanese scientist instead of the pigs created by the Chinese scientists mentioned in the article. MSNBC .....
o rescent_pig/rel=url2html-7150http://www.theregiste r.co.uk/2006/12/29/fluorescent_pig/>
i c/4605202.stmrel=url2html-7150http://news.bbc.co.u k/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4605202.stm>
Another article I have read explained that the Taiwanese pigs where superior due to their much stronger glow throughout their bodies which can be seen in the picture.
Link to the other article:
ahref=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/29/flu
And here is where the pic came from:
ahref=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacif
Everyone who buys Wild Hunt will receive 16 specially prepared DLCs absolutely for free, regardless of platform.
And now we can make green SPAM as well
http://www.spam.com/
don't cut it off www.mgmbill.org
A research team at the Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin managed to breed three transgenic pigs by injecting fluorescent green protein into embryonic pigs. Xinhua quoted Professor Liu Zhonghua as saying. 'The mouth, trotters and tongue of the pigs are green under ultraviolet light'."
what really happened is that kermit finally knocked up miss piggy.
my pet machine
Now they need to invent a flourescent spider which can weave a flourescent web that says "SOME PIG" in flourescent letters.
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
I can eat my breakfast in the dark!
Thanks China!
welcome our flourescent green porcine overlords.
(Sorry, I couldn't resist....and it is one of the cooler "overlord" sayings possible for the last few months.)
Don't underestimate the power of The Source
Hi Dr Chinese,
Can I choose the color ? I would like my pig to be blue like my own jedi laser sabre. Do you accept paypal or pigpay? Can you send it by letter mail to France ? Actually, I need it to enlighten my door when I am completely drunk and I can't see the lock when I come back home like tonight after the New Year's Eve BDSM Fetish Party at Paris...
Regards,
Mutant Man
It might make a good Superhero TM origin-story.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Pigs, the X-Pigs...
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
BBC story, Google search.
Anti-china = democracy = good
Come on, moderators. How was this mod'ed insightful?
Even if it's not biased stereotyping, the dispute over Taiwan's political status has nothing to do with scientific discoveries.
People who dislike China tend to mention Tiananmen Square a lot, but they always forget the Tank Man is also a Chinese.
Is this where they get green ham from?
They're already here. They're called Araucanas, but most of what people call these are actually easter eggers.
It's just a little green, it's still good, it's still good!...
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
The Taiwanese Coast Guard will spot those miles away.
;-)
Get back to making fans that break in 12 months. It's what you do best.
What a loser. Taiwan is not an independent nation, has never been an independent nation, and will never be an independent nation. We will lay waste to it with nuclear weapons before we allow them to become independent, and subsequently act as American and Japanese bitches. The fact that he is modded up shows how ridiculously uninformed the Slashdot community is on this issue.
duke nukem
I think therefore I am... a Linux geek.
I swear, every year, more and more science fiction becomes fact as we push the boundaries. When I see news like this, I realize how every day the real world comes closer to the vision of authors like Douglas Adams.
"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
Didn't anyone notice that the paragraph said "mouth, trotters(feet), and tongue" were flourescent yet the entire pig was flourescent in the picture? This is more like a picture taken with a green light. Here is why:
What we call a black light doesn't make an area black - it causes things which are flourescent in nature to glow. White objects look purple, reds take on more of an orange glow, and greens really look saturated. Pigs are not the cleanest of creatures and biological refuse (such as blood, offal, urine, and such) glow under flourescent lights as well. Even the cleanest creature will glow somewhat due to the various substances which are brushed up against or contained within the skin. None of that shows up in the picture.
The picture is a circular area which shows the backs and tops of the pig's head, it's shoulders, and ears. None of which are the mouths, feet, or tongue. Had the picture had dim outlines of the pigs with their mouth's glowing and their feet glowing - it would have been believe-able. Because it would have matched what was said. But this picture does not.
Someone put a black hole in my pocket and now I'm broke.
Does it really matter at all? Independent or not, Taiwan sees no future outside the Chinese economy. DPP government's de-sinolization policies have no other effect than a weakened economy, and perhaps, hatred among its own people.
What's the point of independence? "Because PRC has never ruled Taiwan?" Have a good look at the ROC constitution, is there any room for Taiwan independence? No. That's why DPP hates it so much and wants to change it so much despite the objection from the US. Yes, the United States of America, not People's Republic of China. As it gets no one any benefit but is such a risk to Asia-Pacific security.
But hey, now president Chen Shui-bian's solicitors are holding the ROC constitution as a shield in court defending his wife's graft case. They even invented a theory: 'what the president thinks a state secret is state secret, therefore no written document is needed to present in the court to prove anything.' As the constitution prevent Chen from indictment, they are hoping this will protect his wife too. How pathetic!
If those guys really want it so much as to fight for it, then go fight for it. That's at least decent. Provoking PRC behind the protection of the US is timid. Whining at the provoked action is even more cowardish. The DPP certainly does not care about the real consequences. Whenever the big clumsy communist party reacts, the DPP gets the votes. That's how democracy in Taiwan works. That's also the reason why Chen plays an independence hardliner every time there is a election coming. When the election is over and the US expresses its dismay, Chen plays reconciliation. It worked every time for him since his coming to power in 2000.
The PRC government learned his tricks over the years. You don't see them criticizing Chen anymore. They are now 'putting hope on the Taiwanese people'. That's logical. Why waste your effort fighting a ideological war that no one never wins when you can do something more meaningful such as boosting the economy and bringing the real benefit to people accross the Taiwan Strait?
People who dislike China tend to mention Tiananmen Square a lot, but they always forget the Tank Man is also a Chinese.
"Oh, you are from America. Isn't that somewhere near Guantanamo?"
People who dislike China tend to mention Tiananmen Square a lot, but they always forget the Tank Man is also a Chinese.
That picture reminds me of certain enemys in DOOM 1. China's got rockets, all they have to do now is send them to Mars.
what a bright idea
Why UNIX?
i do not like green ham and eggs!
Why UNIX?
Maybe we can add a few flourescent sows to the breeding population in Hawaii and then it'll become easier to control them ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_green_pig
god damn.. please mod the parent up. why is it that i never seem to have any mod points when i really want to moderate an intelligent comment?
Given that stem cells haven't provided any positive results at all, I doubt these glowing pigs will do a damn thing. Adult and cord cells are where all the research, and all the investors, are at which is why stem cell advocates are always wanting federal funding--they can't get any private backers due to lack of results. Not that the mainstream media will bother doing any investigative reporting and tell you that.
"Sufferin' succotash."
I'm sure that the reasons for doing this particular modification were pure. The genetics of making organisms glow is relatively well understood. Applying that bit of genetics to mammals is a particularly visible demonstration. It may even be a good kind of demonstration for the purposes of getting short term funding for extending the research.
But its the wrong kind of demonstration if you want to be able to sell genetically modified anything over the long term. The "humor" in my initial posting plays to the reasons why. The idea of glowing green animals is not attractive to people. It suggests, at least in Western culture, all sorts of hidden negative meanings, including radiation, decay, and "The Incredible Hulk".
The fact that we can do something is by no means a good reason to do something. Some experiments ought not to ever be done. This might have been one of them. Some experiments ought not to be publicized. This was probably one of them.
Davis http://davis.foulger.net
OMG, LOL. This is fake! I saw this article a few years ago. I have the picture to prove it. I remember saving it because I thought it was cool. I just checked. Yeah its the exact same picture. I saw it on HLfallout.com in a post along with the article.
Yess, the scientists have finally solved the eternal problem of how to find ham in the fridge with lamp down.