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Cloned, Glow in the Dark Cats

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the i-can-haz-rave-party? dept.

eldavojohn writes "Well, you can finally get genetically modified cloned animals. South Korean scientists have shown it is possible to alter a protein via therapeutic cloning to 'artificially [create] animals with human illnesses linked to genetic causes.' The images of these animals are amazing. This research was headed by Kong Il-keun, the first person in the country to clone cats in 2004." There is always the chance that this is a hoax, but far too amusing to ignore.

26 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. I HAZ by Arthur+B. · · Score: 5, Funny

    A COLOR !

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    1. Re:I HAZ by fyngyrz · · Score: 3, Funny

      No, U haz florescence, which is something else entirely.

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    2. Re:I HAZ by Arthur+B. · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe by saying color I hurt the feelings of the Fluorescent Americats.

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      \u262D = \u5350
    3. Re:I HAZ by dgatwood · · Score: 4, Funny

      Speaking of lolcats, did anybody else read this as "Stoned glow-in-the-dark Cats"? I think that would be much, much funnier to watch, personally.

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    4. Re:I HAZ by d3vo1d · · Score: 3, Informative

      Speaking of lolcats Nice post http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/12/12/yur-glowstix-wi-eated-dem/

  2. oblig. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can has bioluminescence?

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    1. Re:oblig. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
      > or, I CAN HAS NITELITE

      Upgrayedd ur Grammer!

      It's "I can is nitelite".

    2. Re:oblig. by mseidl · · Score: 4, Funny

      Glowing cat
      Glowing cat
      What are they feeding you...

  3. Korea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now they have food-lit dinner instead of candle lit dinner?

  4. hrmmmm by BWJones · · Score: 4, Informative

    Those images do not look like images representative of cloned GFP containing animals that I have seen. Rather the green cat look slike the image was taken through a green filter or filtered light and the cat on the left simply looks illuminated by a laser. Whether or not these animals truly represent transgenic fluorescent animals from these images at least leaves me suspicious...

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    1. Re:hrmmmm by Rakishi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The green one is NOT glowing and it even says it's an ordinary cat that's simply reflecting the green light. I'd say RTFA but is likely a purposefully done misguiding picture for which the article writers should be kicked for.

      The red one seems to be the real deal as it only glows where it's fur doesn't block the skin. Granted it glows rather weakly but that may be simply because it's fur is not white (or doesn't appear to be) so it doesn't reflect the glow as much as say white mice would.

    2. Re:hrmmmm by Smidge204 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Don't forget that an external UV light is required, rather than the skin glowing all by itself. The hair blocks the UV light from getting to the skin, and any glow from what little does get through it blocked on the way out.

      =Smidge=

    3. Re:hrmmmm by RingDev · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The red cat is either a rather good photoshoping, or the real deal. If the cat were being lit by an external source, the fur would reflect the light. But the fur appears to be blocking the light.

      My best guess for the picture though is that they used a UV/Low Light amplification filter. Then they pointed a UV light at the cats, and stuck some kind of obstruction between the light and the left cat. Thus the right cat and the tips of the left cat's ears appear green, while the left cat and the left side of the right cat's body appear black (save for the UV florescence off the left cat).

      The fact that it was shot with a Low Light filter, and further compressed via JPG, means that there is a lot of noise and artifacting in the picture. That much distortion could easily mask modifications. So I would say it's either the real deal, or a fake done by someone with a lot of time and experience in producing quality fakes.

      -Rick

      --
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  5. Re:Obligitory... by QRDeNameland · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yes, they run a little-known custom Ubuntu release...Fluorescent Feline.

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    Momentarily, the need for the construction of new light will no longer exist.
  6. Black light cats by xPsi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because of the red fluorescence protein in their skin cells, the three Turkish Angola kittens look reddish under ultraviolet light, the researchers said. Calling them "glow in the dark" may be overstating the case. More like black light cats. Nothing like having a 70s poster that can scratch back while listening to Dark Side of the Moon.
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  7. Excellent... by 6Yankee · · Score: 5, Funny

    *turns off headlights*

  8. Good by Hawthorne01 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now maybe I won't trip over them as I stumble around in the dark, on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

    And if we plug one into a light socket, will it glow brighter? Can I use one as a night light?

    --
    "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
  9. Not entirely new, but still cool by stranger_to_himself · · Score: 3, Informative

    Whereas this might be the first glow in the dark cat (for which I can think of many, many uses), there have been glow in the dark mice for ages (although now I wonder for how much longer). Also many animal models for human genetic diseases already exist, including fruitfly with early onset Alzheimer's disease, and mice with Down syndrome. I'm sure there are tons more.

  10. Glowing cat, why would I want that? by Starteck81 · · Score: 3, Funny

    My cat is already horrible at catching mice. I can't imagine she would catch any if she glows.

    ...come to think of it can you make the mice glow instead??!!!

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  11. And just in time for Christmas by alta · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll take one for the wife please. Can you make it pink? She really likes pink. And one that doesn't shed, get rid of the shedding gene. And how about one that doesn't need food, doesn't poop, doesn't spray, no claws and not moody. Hmm, I just described a stuffed cat. I'll take a stuffed cat please.

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  12. Ah HA by Technopaladin · · Score: 5, Funny

    If we put it in a box and dont look...will it still glow?

  13. Re:Hooray for cat cloning! by callmetheraven · · Score: 3, Funny

    At least these ones will be less likely to get run over by cars at night!
    Unless the drivers are cat-haters...

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  14. For research only by heroine · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is for research only, so U can see if a protein is expressed by attaching a UV marker to it. It also doesn't glow unless U shine UV light on it. Don't expect glowing cats in pet stores.

  15. I think a better questions is by cHiphead · · Score: 3, Funny

    But do they glow in the dark after they blend?

    Cheers.

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  16. Re:Cat blood by skeevy · · Score: 3, Funny

    The crusty stuff is often the feces of ear mites - you can get medicine to fix that and the scratching (also due to ear mites)

    Cats are really tough, though. My grampa used to comment how hard it was to beat them to death with a bat.

  17. Re:formula by stranger_to_himself · · Score: 4, Funny

    I get it! Okay how's this..

    "You call that comment a pointless refutation that has no actual substance? Hardly. Hell, give me a scientific breakthrough and an ignorant bastard and I'll come up with a better pointless refutation that has no actual substance."

    Do I win £5?