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Researchers Enable Mice To Exhale Fat

Posted by Soulskill on from the americans-still-too-lazy-for-this-diet dept.

destinyland writes "UCLA researchers made a startling discovery: genetic alterations enable mice to convert fat into carbon dioxide. Mammals digest fats differently than bacteria — so researchers introduced bacteria genes into mouse livers, and 'the excess fat was literally released into thin air.' (One researcher calls it 'an unconventional idea which we borrowed from plants and bacteria.') The research potentially could help treat serious medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease — and of course, obesity."

17 of 328 comments (clear)

  1. Global warming? by basementman · · Score: 2, Funny

    The earth is screwed if we ever get this to work on humans. Good news is that we will be able to build Burger Kings in Antarctica. Bad news is that the burgers will be made out of penguins.

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    1. Re:Global warming? by rs79 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Haven't they heard of global warming? Can't they get them to exhale chocolate?

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    2. Re:Global warming? by Zerth · · Score: 2, Funny

      You'd have to be able to exhale fat if you ate penguin burgers. Those guys are so fat, they can go for a month or two without eating practically anything.

      Being fat actually gets the males more loving, as the females of some species are more likely to mate with those who have a more resonant mating call, indicating thickness and thus likelyhood of not keeling over from hunger while the female runs off for weeks at a time.

      You could practically cook an emperor penguin on a fire of its own grease.

  2. Well... by nebaz · · Score: 4, Funny

    I inhale cheeseburgers, I guess it would only be right to exhale them too.

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    1. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      oh goodness gracious how I love that food that resembles food.

      A former mayor of Philadelphia was once asked why no one else in the country can justly replicate the famous phili cheesesteak. He replied that their doing two things wrong 1) they're using real cheese and 2) they're using real meat.

  3. Pfft, that's nothing. by fryjs · · Score: 4, Funny

    Politicians have been exhaling excrement for centuries.

  4. New Diet Pills! by PumpkinDog · · Score: 3, Funny

    The slogan writes itself "Don't Hold Your Breath"

  5. second-hand fat ... by BenBoy · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... just sayin'

    And yeah, I know it's CO2 ... you want a global-warming joke instead, *you* make it.

  6. Fat Air by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Great... and then this "fat air" condenses out, and you're left with chubby rain, all over again.

  7. Carbon credits? by j-turkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    So will mice taking this fat-to-CO2 drug have to pay for extra carbon credits? ;P

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    -Turkey

  8. MMmmm by commodoresloat · · Score: 3, Funny

    Have you tasted penguin? It's fucking delicious. Almost as good as bald eagle.

  9. Feh. by bobdotorg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wake me up when they figure out how to make them exhale beer.

    I could go for a cold MausBraü about now.

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  10. Richard Simmons' new DVD by countertrolling · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Panting to the Oldies"

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  11. Re:obPublic Service Announcement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Until you can run 5 miles in a hour (12 minute miles, a slow run) everyday you can't say "I can't help being fat" because you're not even trying.

    I'm a paraplegic, you insensitive clod!

  12. Re:TEACH? by SignalFreq · · Score: 4, Funny

    Exhale fat? Great... now I'll have to worry about someone breathing second hand fat in my face...

  13. Re:obPublic Service Announcement by PPH · · Score: 2, Funny

    Obesity is a predictable problem of placing humans in an environment with surplus food.

    No problem. Divert all that food into the production of fuel for my Hummer. That way, every time I fill up, I can feel good about helping to keep people thin.

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  14. Window gunk by flyingfsck · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh man, imagine all the condensate on the furniture, computer screens and keyboards, windows and the like. Fortunately a typical geek lair doesn't have windows.

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