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Light Helps Injured Mice Walk Again

Posted by samzenpus on from the blinded-me-with-science dept.

Mantrid42 writes "Researchers have been able to affect the brains of lab mice using light. Working in a new field called Optogenetics (optical stimulation plus genetic engineering), scientists injected lab mice with genes that can stimulate or inhibit neural activity based on the color of the light they're exposed to, and can be targeted to infect only on certain cell types. Additionally, another gene has been added to make neurons glow green when firing, allowing two-way communication between a brain and a machine."

8 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. :O by DirtyCanuck · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does that make them..... Optical Mice?

    1. Re::O by BitZtream · · Score: 4, Funny

      Awesome.

      I was just sitting here, bored, opened a browser to take a look at slashdot to see if anything interesting had popped up since I last checked 10 minutes ago, and I see this story with only a few comments and figure, 7? Theres got to be something funny in there by now.

      And here it is. Priceless, just freaking priceless.

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    2. Re::O by Solder+Fumes · · Score: 5, Funny

      They may be optical, but if you grab one and look underneath you might still find a ball or two.

    3. Re::O by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Dont you mean frikin' lasers on their frikin' heads.

    4. Re::O by Rashdot · · Score: 3, Funny

      I guess you will find an average of one ball per mouse.

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  2. Side Effects by allknowingfrog · · Score: 2, Funny

    The operation is a real breakthrough for crippled mice everywhere, but they have to avoid kaleidoscopes for the rest of their lives...

  3. Re:So... by cjfs · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is getting into some scary territory...

    It's a little disorienting at first, but after a few segfaults and cold boots you get used to it.

  4. Re:For anyone who read the article by mkiwi · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh *please*

    Your over-optimistic attitude completely misses something that every slashdotter knows: The machines will eventually take control of our bodies, become our overlords, and turn us into bionic batteries. Keeanu Reeves will then be forced to die in a desperate plea to save humanity... just as it should be.

    Either that or super-intelligent mice will take over the world.

    We don't have room for positive attitudes here.