1/13/2006: Fluorescent pigs

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter

Well, we're half way to green eggs and ham now.

Darn, you beat me to it.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

And this is useful how, exactly? Partly for genetic research, I guess,

Another example of a difference between application research verses fundamental research.

AT&T once did fundamental research in its Bell Labs. Now that their management demands 'useful' things, Bell Labs no longer create things like lasers, transistors, and Telstar. The Bell Labs now does application research. Their management also would see nothing gained by fluorescent pigs - or Unix.

As was discussed some years ago, a major difference exists between application research verses fundamental research. In 1973, when someone spliced some genes together, then nobody cared; few even noticed. Today, application of that research is creating religious wars about life. How many will die in future wars fought over fluorescent pigs?

How useful is a fluorescent pig? Maybe it will create a man who glows -and is then worshipped as a second coming of Christ. Then Jews will be killed off and we all will have a new religion. Fundamental research is useful only as fundamental research - which is essential for the survival of mankind. In fundamental research, we don't ask why. Instead only ask how and therefore create the world's greatest achievements - and sometimes a holocaust.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by tw

How useful is a fluorescent pig?

I believe I already answered this question.

[Sneaky8]

so, after several years of spying on you guys from afar, and forbidding myself to become a member out of fear that i'd never get anything else done, I have finally decided to officially join the family.

just yesterday, i was looking into purchasing some glofish (i do believe there was a IotD with these geneticly altered fish way back when), but given this new scientific breakthrough, i've decided to reconsider my options. additionally, i propose that we collect some of the eggs from the aformentioned fish and have a slightly modified green eggs (caviar) and ham. Though i'm sure if we search hard enough, we may be able to locate some radioactive chicken eggs. Who's with me?!

also, regarding animal activists who don't wear fur...
i have several friends who are vegans (though they're not crazy activists with spraypaint cans and definitely not part of this new sect of animal activism that seems to condone human murder in order to make their point more clear). they do not wear leather or use any products that are tested on animals. they are even wary of most soy cheeses and soy products because many contain casein which is derived from milk. They don't even eat honey because honey is made using bees that stay on the bee farms (or whatever they are) because they stick by their queen. Thus, from what my friends tell me, they clip the wings of the female bees.

Interestingly, it's not always eating animals that's the issue. My friends would probably never eat an animal but they do understand that it's not entirely unreasonable. Mainly, it's today's factory farming that is really horrible. The animals are kept in conditions that are horribly inhumane and there are no laws regarding the treatment of animals used for fur, hide, or food unless it pertains to the effect it will have on human health. If you treated your pets the way these animals are treated, you'd be slapped with a megafine and probably some jail time. I've actually read up on some of this in an ethics class i oncen took, and I do have to agree that the treatment of animals int hese situations is REALLY awful.

However, I say this as i take a bite of my non-free range, non-organic, antibibotic-laden & MIGHT TASTY barbecue CHICKEN sandwich. And i've been boiling a nice red tea with some freshly chopped ginger and as soon as i'm done this sammich, i'm gonna pour some HONEY in, curl up on the sofa, and watch Team American (which I now own! hooray!) all by my lonesome. Apparently, when you have a very bad cold, no one wants to come over and play with you! So, ummm, I need this chicken! and the honey! for...ummmm...psychological well-being!

[Sneaky8]

hmmm, in the above post, i meant to say QUEEN bees where i said FEMALE bees, but if i recall correctly from my ethology class, the queen is the only female in the hive. however, i could have totally made that up just now! so don't go spreading this rumor before you confirm it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Fundamental research is useful only as fundamental research - which is essential for the survival of mankind.

There’s been a lot of research in my lifetime, both pure and application.
Computers, jet planes and toys galore plus advances in medicine and knowledge by orders of magnitude. But has life really gotten better?
Different, yes! Better, not so sure?
I'm wondering how fundamental research “is essential for the survival of mankind”?
To undo past screwups? Do you mean to maintain our momentum with finite resources?
You lost me.

[wolf]

These pigs are scarier than the cyclopean kitten.

Oh, wait! I get it, it's Friday, but it's Friday the 13th.

That must be it.

[Trilby]

Hi, Sneaky8! Glad you've come to play (even if you do have a cold)

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Sneaky8

hmmm, in the above post, i meant to say QUEEN bees where i said FEMALE bees, but if i recall correctly from my ethology class, the queen is the only female in the hive. however, i could have totally made that up just now! so don't go spreading this rumor before you confirm it.

Actually, all of the worker bees are female as well. Male bees just sit around and have sex with the Queen.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Sneaky8, I missed the post(s) you snuck in while I was composing mine.
Welcome to the Cellar. You must be sick to join this crowd....OH yeah, you are. Well, you're in now.....in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, etc, etc. Hope you'll still love us when you're fever goes down.

[Crimson Ghost]

Glow in the dark pigs.
Now pigfarmers don't need a flashlight to find a date for the weekend.......

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter

Well, we're half way to green eggs and ham now.

I will not eat them in the cellar
I will not eat them with that feller.

[Electrophile]

The key thing about these pigs is they make a specific, human inserted, protein in all of their parts. The fact that they're green and photogenic makes it a news story, but the reason that Green Flourescent Protein (GFP) is used in these sorts of experiments is because it's easy to detect; you only have to shine the right light on the pigs. That's a fast and cheap experiment. Furthermore, GFP is also a small and easy to express protein so it's easier to work with.
From a basic research standpoint, no one knows what experiments will pay off in the long run, but having pigs make specific proteins may eventually be useful in organ transplantation from pig to human, or the knowledge may be useful in gene therapy of some sort.

[Troubleshooter]

Good point, plus you never know when a transgenic component can turn out to be part of group of genomes that work in concert or are dependent on others.

[beavis]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Laughed like a loon at this, thank you

i do what i can love