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Researchers Create "Mighty Mouse" With Gene Tweak

cylonlover writes "He can't fly just yet, but a team of scientists have made a big step towards creating a real-life Mighty Mouse. By tweaking a gene that normally inhibits muscle growth the researchers created a batch of super-strong mice and worms. The scientists acted on a genome regulator — known as NCOR1 — and were able to change the activity of certain genes. In simpler English, the scientists shut off the thyroid hormone that keeps most mammals from turning into the Incredible Hulk. The result was a strain of mice with muscles that were twice as strong as normal."

2 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Wait a minute. by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You are working under the impression that evolution works optimally. It doesn't evolution usually reaches a good enough state. It may be the case the reason why mice are not stronger is that the ones who were stronger didn't have any better chances then the ones who weren't or their extra bulk end up either being unattractive to the opposite sex or they were too strong and created damage to their mate. Or just just because the extra strength didn't help much more overall so his genes kinda just got washed out over time.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  2. Re:Wait a minute. by Zironic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The most intuitively obvious answer is that if your muscle growth can't be limited you're more likely to starve to death during famines.

    However I wouldn't be surprised if unchecked muscle growth also leads to bone/tendon damage/poor muscle control/heart issues etc.