Taiwan Builds a Better Fluorescent Pig
The BBC reports that Taiwanese researchers have bred fluorescent pigs:
Scientists in Taiwan say they have bred three pigs that glow in the dark.
The pigs are transgenic, created by adding genetic material from jellyfish into a normal pig embryo. Taiwan is not claiming a world first. Others have bred partially fluorescent pigs before. But the researchers insist the three pigs they have produced are better. They are the only ones that are green from the inside out. Even their heart and internal organs are green.
As a coworker mused “green eggs and ham.”
There would seem to be a serious application, in that if you have a green pig, you can inject it with an invasive disease, and easily discern what in the pig is pig, and what in the pig is badness.
They only got three male pigs, which they are hoping to breed with normal female pigs, and have fluorescent babies. I imagine that their ability to glow green at the club may be helpful . . . ah, to be a young, fluorescent pig! More power to them, I say, and to the scientists, as well! I can not help but note the Taiwanese pride, and observe that “if you build a better fluourescent pig, the world will beat a path to your door.”
Or, at least you’ll score some Internet noteriety.
