Slashdot Mirror
Hybrid Human-Animal DNA Experiments Raise Concerns
Kevin Fishburne writes
"British scientists are calling for a new agency to oversee the mixing of human and animal DNA, which is progressing at a rate most may not be aware of: 'Among experimentation that might spark concern are those where human brain cells might change animal brains, those that could lead to the fertilization of human eggs in animals and any modifications of animals that might create attributes considered uniquely human, like facial features, skin or speech. ... Some disagree. "We think some of these should be done, but they should be done in an open way to maintain public confidence," said Robin Lovell-Badge, head of stem cell biology and developmental genetics at Britain's Medical Research Council, one of the expert group members. He said experiments injecting human brain cells into the brains of rats might help develop new stroke treatments or that growing human skin on mice could further understanding of skin cancer.'"
A furry's wet dream... *shudder*
Among experimentation that might spark concern are those where human brain cells might change animal brains, those that could lead to the fertilization of human eggs in animals and any modifications of animals that might create attributes considered uniquely human, like facial features, skin or speech.
They reached this conclusion after much consideration, i.e. watching a preview of Rise of the Planet of the Apes: In the Beginning
Reminds me of this:
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/stalins-deranged-vision-human-ape-super-race/1257
Saw it on History Channel a few years back. Didn't know there was active research going on in mixing human DNA with brains.
Isn't this story a coincidence when the move Rise of the Planet of the Apes is about to come out?? Pretty scary
Previewing comments are for sissies!
eat your heart out Seth Brundle
Do we have to include the ghastly emotive rot among the potentially legitimate concerns?
Zoonotic diseases are certainly a real issue(though we've caught plenty just through good, old-fashioned, living in close proximity), and any techniques that would hypothetically involve the production of excessively human central nervous systems in laboratory animals might get ethically dodgy; but are "skin" and "facial features" really 'uniquely human' attributes that squick us out so much we just can't stand it? The idea that having a cartilage-and-soft-tissue structure that looks kind of human, rather than having a differently shaped one, is somehow an 'ethical' problem, rather than pure squeamishness, is just emotive rot.
"The effect of custom, in preventing any misgiving respecting the rules of conduct which mankind impose on one another, is all the more complete because the subject is one on which it is not generally considered necessary that reasons should be given, either by one person to others, or by each to himself. People are accustomed to believe, and have been encouraged in the belief by some who aspire to the character of philosophers, that their feelings, on subjects of this nature, are better than reasons, and render reasons unnecessary." -J.S. Mill
If making catgirls becomes illegal in Britain, we'll just make them in Japan. That would be disastrous. The Japanese are already years ahead of us in catgirl technology. We cannot afford a greater catgirl gap.
Genocide Man -- Life is funny. Death is funnier. Mass murder can be hilarious.
So we mix some code together and it's what? Not what nature intended? Who give a rat's patoot? Are we playing [insert favorite diety here]? Again, so what?
I'm just having some trouble with the ethical implications. WHAT ethical implications? How is a hybrid any more good or evil than a naturally occurring organism? Help me out here guys, and no offense, but if you can't make an argument without reference to diefic entity nonsense, I'm not interested (unless of course, it's really, really funny).
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
If Slashdot had circles, I would add you to one called "fruitbat".
There are no indigenous vegetarians, let alone vegans.
If you're using your spine properly, you don't need any adjustments. Try Tai Chi.
Live naturally, that doesn't include chiropractic care! Enjoy your nasty, brutish, and short life. The last people to naturally live over a hundred years on a regular basis failed to develop their technology (this was the cost of their lifestyle) and were essentially wiped out.
Or put another way, if we were made, we were obviously made to wage war, among the other things. So by extension, all the funky food and TV watching is also natural.
In summary: I find your theories laughable, and I wish to pee on your newsletter
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Pass laws that any creature with human DNA is human and has the same rights as any other human. Have the law make those who create such creatures be financially responsible for them until such time as they can be demonstrated to be able to care for themselves.
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
As long as I can get a cat that will tell me exactly what it wants instead of me having to figure it out, I'm good.
Then they can apply that gene to women.
Yes, let's scare more people with a bunch of fictional nonsense intended to play on people's fears and fool them into believing that fear response is the same as morality.
H.G. Wells was a great author, but that does not qualify him to be a credible source of perspective on the ethics of genetic research, especially when his implicit goal was to be salacious enough to sell books, not to have the most honest and balanced possible view.
I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
Are we playing [insert favorite diety here]? Again, so what?
Agreed. Man was created in God's image according to some major religions. As I understand it, and as J.R.R. Tolkien understood it, this includes the capacity to create, and sub-creation of works that echo God's creation is one way that mortals honor God.
Ethics is an important part of Science. And should be considered whenever you do an experiment. But ethics are rarely if ever black and white. But something that needs to be weighed.
Do you jump to animal testing before you sit down and do the math and run simulations?
Do you do a psychological study without having an educated hypothesis what will happen? If it doesn't happen when should you terminate so you can re-evaluate?
I am not saying we should allow all the nuts go out and say this is evil because God says it is because we interpret this translation of this book to say that. But Science should strongly keep an ethic mindset before they jump to do something, and not let the excitement of discovery push you past the line.
You have a small group of religious nuts out there, if they can show that you toss ethics aside to do the work they will gather groups of people who are more moderate. Then you loose your funding, having to defend yourself, trouble getting new funding, etc....
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
It's fairly obvious what cats want. They want their servants to understand their needs and fulfill their wishes before they have realised what they want, themselves. If you're not doing this, the fault is yours, not theirs. Maybe you're mixed up about who is in charge in that relationship?
politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
From the last line of the article: "it’s a human thing to have a memory.”
... the real issue is language. Yes, dolphins, whales, birds, etc. can communicate, but not with an infinitely rich grammar. Many anthropologists (and, not surprisingly, linguists) believe that language is key to understanding the uniqueness of the human mind. To me, that's what makes brain cell implantation freaky.
... just sayin' that we're entering some uncharted waters.
Memory is not the real issue
Surely one cell is not too controversial. Two... maybe a little. But once you start down this path, think about where it could go:
Day 137: Rats seem to react to their names.
Day 409: Rats react to basic commands ("Go left" or "Go right")
Day 687: Rats are able to respond to simple yes/no questions ("Are you hungry?")
Day 992: Rat named Stickers cheeps one word: "Stop."
I'm not passing any judgement on this research
That's completely ridicuSQUIRREL!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
If these experiments get me a catgirl Fairuza Balk, I can only say I'm okay with it.
If she can lick herself, what does she need you for?
I absolutely agree, and everyone here is way too tough on Dr. Bob. A few years ago I had a severe case of Bonus Eruptus. It was so bad some days I just couldn't get out of bed. One trip to a chiropractor (his name was Nick), and I was pretty much cured. Those adjustments were a life saver.
Actually, I like chiropractors who realize they are body mechanics. But in general we get into these problems because we are using our bodies in ways for which we have not prepared. Accidents happen so I don't want to kill all the chiropractors. I went to one (I think her name was Marie Cafasso but maybe I'm confusing her with some other Chiropractor in Santa Cruz County) who was really great. And then I went to one in Lakeport (P.Q.) who was a completely useless leech who did not even bother to address my actual problem, presumably in pursuit of a followup visit. The way to find the real ones is to look for a "sports" chiropractor... in my very limited experience that was gained when I woke up with a rib out of place after sleeping on an oddly tilted bed.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
God-schmod. I want my monkey man!
I was originally a fan of the chiropractic troll, but I don't think it's destined for classic status. When you see "Dr. Bob" at the top of a post, now you immediately know how it's going to end. Personally, I wish the ladyboy-hermaphrodite troll had been more active, because it was harder to remember the posters responsible for them, and you would get suckered into reading the whole post until the surprise troll ending.
The ethics committee says, "Do not burn ethics committee." Perhaps you should try taunting them instead.
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
One thing we haven't really realized is that any animal with vocal chords also has a speech center in their brain and speaks to other animals. True that we know of no other animal with speech as complex or sophisticated as ours, but anyone who doesn't understand what a dog is saying when he tells you "get the fuck away from my territory or I'll eat you" or "OUCH" is more dimwitted than the dog.
You think birds or whales sing to make music? I doubt any species but us make music.
Free Martian Whores!