From fish that glow in the dark to animal
human hybrids, here are 10 creatures created by scientists that will make you wonder, has
science gone too far? 10. Spider-Goats Wait, what?! After the inception of Spiderman in Marvel
Studios, researchers at Utah State University and the University of Wyoming were inspired. They have successfully created a hybrid goat
that spews out high contents of spider silk in its milk! Because that was something I was definitely
missing in my life!!! We all know that the special silk gene found
in spiders helps them form webs and catch their prey. Spider silk is believed to be really tough,
and given its mass density, it is regarded to be even tougher than steel. The scientists were hoping to find a way to
harvest spider silk on a large scale since it actually could have many different useful
applications. So the university researchers found a way
to incorporate a harvested spider gene into a common goat’s DNA and hallelujah it worked! The goats’ milk was later tested and high
silk protein contents were found in almost 70% of the specimens. This could lead to a new range of applications
in the medical as well as the automobile industry. The material can absorb about three times
its body weight and can be useful for manufacturing ligaments and tendons. It can also be useful for making airbags for
cars and bulletproof vests. From an ethical perspective, they say that
this gene modification neither imposes any health hazards, nor any behavioral changes
in the goats. We will have to wait and see... 9. Glofish: The lights out on an “Earth Hour” definitely
won’t stop your colorful Glofish from glowing! Too bad its genes won’t allow it. This fish was first mutated in 1999 by Dr.
Zhiywan Gong, who along with his teammates, was working on a luminesce protein in Jellyfish. The team harvested this protein and injected
it into a Zebra fish’s embryo. Why?? The main motivation behind this experiment
was to design a fish that could detect the presence of toxins for quantifying oceanic
pollutions. In theory these scientists were trying to
do something good, but I am not sure about the ethical implications, that is up for you
to decide. The experiment turned out to be a huge success,
both scientifically and commercially. Aquarium enthusiasts loved them, and the Glofish
became the first and only genetically altered animal to exist as a domestic pet on a large
scale. This glimmering fish can be made in several
bright colors and is the most popular children’s choice at a pet store. These fish are able to absorb light from their
surroundings and then re-emit it which gives it that captivating glow. Also if you happen to have a power outage,
an aquarium with a bunch of Glofish might be helpful in case you stumble around in the
dark. 8. Sudden-Death Mosquito Hate mosquitoes? You can’t kill them all, but you most certainly
can stop them from multiplying. Scientists from British Biotech Company, Oxitec
have developed a genetically modified mosquito that could be the end of viruses that cause
millions of infections and deaths each year due to malaria, dengue, and all other kinds
of diseases.. This new breed of mosquito produces flightless
females and practically sterile males that either cannot reproduce or whose offspring
die before reaching maturity. Oxitec released the mosquitos with the altered
deadly protein onto an island. The transfer of bad genes sometimes even killed
the female mosquitoes before they could reproduce, resulting in an overall decrease in the mosquito
population. Hence the name “Sudden-Death”. Death for them, not for you. However, this experiment has been highly criticized
by scientists and environmentalists who argue it is unethical to wipe out an entire species. There also might be huge negative effects
on the ecosystem. What can be good about mosquitos? Who cares about them anyway? Well, according to Nature magazine, without
mosquitos thousands of plant species would lose their pollinators and many animal species
would lose their food source. However, it is very interesting that many
scientists and researchers say that the niche would be filled quickly by other organisms
and life might go on just as before, or even better!!! The inventors of the sudden-death mosquito
argue that this project would help humans fight off deadly diseases but it is very hard
to say what the consequences to the global ecosystem might be. 7. Fast-Growing Salmon Fish, especially salmon is an important source
of proteins and amino acids. AquAdvantage salmon developed by AquaBounty
is a genetically modified salmon that has been altered to make it grow faster and twice
as big compared to its natural form. This company aspires to create a cost-effective
solution for the bulk production of fish meat. In captivity, a fully grown hybrid would yield
almost double proportions of fillet with equal nutritional value. The hybrid mutation cannot reproduce and thus,
poses no threats to aquatic life in case it ever manages to escape into the wild. It would be the first genetically modified
animal that was FDA approved. In August 2017 AquaBounty said its transgenic
fish had finally hit the market after a 25-year wait. When it first launched in Canada they sold
4.5 tons. This could potentially be a great boost for
the inland fish farming industry, which might have to wait much longer for normal fish to
grow. If this trend were to become popular, it could
decrease the amount of overfishing and ocean farming, helping the marine ecosystem to recover. AquaBounty’s new fish has terrified others
working in animal biotechnology, and it will most likely be a few years before it hits
markets in the US. Would you feel comfortable eating this? Let us know what you think in the comments! 6. Vacanti Mouse This laboratory mutation of a mouse is quite
a disturbing image… It has an extra growth over its back which
resembles a human ear. Its inventor Charles Vacanti at the University
of Massachusetts Medical School planted cow cartilage cells into a biodegradable mould
that resembled a human ear. He implanted this seeded mould under a mouse’s
skin and observed it for days. The experiment turned out to be successful
as the cartilage nurtured naturally under its skin. It could then be harvested for someone who
needed a new ear. Shortly after its inception, the photos went
viral over the internet. Its unusual and uncanny appearance made people
cynical about whether the photos were genuine. The pictures provoked multiple protests and
demonstrations terming genetic modification unethical, even though in this particular
case, no genes were modified. Even though genes were not modified, what
do you think about the Vacanti Mouse? To learn more about the Vacanti Mouse and
other experiments, be sure to check out my video on “Strangest Things Grown in a Lab” 5. See-Through Frog Ever dissected a frog in one of your biology
classes? Feel bad about it? You don’t need to feel that way anymore! In 2007 it was announced that Japanese scientists
have created a new kind of glass frog that now possesses a fully translucent body. Not to be confused with the glass frog from
the Amazon, it was actually created through traditional selective breeding, rather than
genetic modification, using wild frogs with a mutation that gives them pale skin. This genetic advantage could help the frog
to escape predators in the wild. Little more revealing than a Harry Potter’s
cloak, you can see all kinds of organs such as the heart, liver, digestive glands, eggs
etc. through its transparent skin. Even its blood can be seen gushing through
the blood vessels. The good thing for teachers is that they won’t
have to make students dissect frogs anymore. Scientists can see the organs more closely,
and observe various diseases and health issues, such as the spread and growth of cancer, without
killing the animal to see what is inside. This genetic modification has undoubtedly
made the see-through frog an important instrument in medical testing. Not sure if the frog is so lucky after all. And now for number 4, but first be sure to
subscribe! Videos are posted 4 times a week! 4. Featherless Chicken Meet the new mutation of your favorite domestic
bird, a featherless chicken! Scientists at Rehovot Agronomy Institute in
Israel have genetically eliminated feathers from the chicken. It was an attempt to help warmer countries
to cut down on cooling costs at a poultry farm. Great, so now besides everything else a chicken
goes through, now it has to do it naked. Off course if the companies are able to save
money on air conditioning then they can invest in more meat production. Veterinarians, however, have a different story
regarding the featherless birds. They say that by genetically removing the
feathers, the chickens are exposed to more diseases compared to normal birds. They have a weaker immune system which makes
it highly exposed to viruses, bacterial infections, parasites, and sunburn. Bird specialists have also criticized this
modification in chickens. According to them, roosters use their wings
while mating and removing flap feathers prevent them from practicing their natural mating
technique. It can change the entire nature of the animal
and make humans more exposed to illness. It is strange to imagine that it is cheaper
to genetically modify an animal to suit your needs than to pay for air conditioning. 3. Sterile Pink Bollworm A regular pink bollworm used to be a farmer’s
worst nightmare. Also known as “Pinkie”, it was regarded
as one of the most unwanted pests in America and accounted for at least $21 million dollars
in lost crops every year. In the early 2000s, a genetic modification
project was initiated. Scientists took a group of pinkies and made
them sterile. Over 4 years, the modified sterile adult moths
of the pinkie were released over the state of Arizona in an effort to control the toxin-resistant
population that had taken over the state. Farmers had to agree not to spray any toxins
in order not to kill the new population and had to trust that the moths being released
actually were sterile, if not they would have an even bigger crisis on their hands. These sterile moths competed for partners,
food and survival along with the regular population. This resulted in a massive decrease of the
pinkie population by almost half just in the first round. The experiment turned out to be a huge success
with an almost full elimination of the population in the infected area. 2. Belgian Blue Think only humans can compete for Mr. Olympia? Meet this new mammoth breed- the new Belgian
Blue Super Cow! Contrary to popular belief, this beast is
not created with the use of any steroids. Rather it can serve as a great example to
demonstrate how much genetic control could be achieved by selective breeding. As the name indicates, this breed comes from
Belgium. It was initially a result of crossing a Shorthorn
breed along with a Charo-lais cattle breed from France. The modern breed, however, was invented by
Professor Hanset whose major works revolve around artificial insemination. In the US, it was first introduced by Nick
Tutt who demonstrated this breed to locals in Texas. The animal has compounded muscle fibers which
result in an Arnold Schwarzenegger-like body, heavy muscle mass and lean meat. However, these magnificent beasts are exposed
to other health issues, mainly resulting from an increased muscle mass. Also, the giant structure causes stiffness
in the leg joints. The Belgian Blue heifers have narrow birth
canals that make it difficult to give birth and they are always assisted by C-sections. The calves have long tongues which makes it
quite hard for them to feed naturally. The bulls have lesser fertility compared to
other parent species. In their recent study, the USDA has declared
Belgian Blue’s meat to be the healthiest in terms of high proteins and lowest fat content. 1. Lab-made Chimeras: If modifying mosquitos bothers you then you’d
better prepare for this one. Scientists at Salk Institute for Biological
Studies, in La Jolla, California have declared to have created a pig-human hybrid creature. According to them this “pig-man” was made
successfully at one of their labs. According to them, the embryos were allowed
to grow up to 28 days (a quarter of pig’s pregnancy) in a pig’s womb, before being
aborted. This is done to study how a human’s and
a pig’s embryo interact and grow. Abortion is done in a timely manner so as
to avoid any backlash over ethical concerns. So 28 days is the ethical line apparently. The idea behind mixing animal and human genes
in the first place is to create an intelligent species that, more or less, have a human-like
aptitude at solving basic errands. It could be a kind of human/animal assistant. Scientists also argue that mixing genes could
lead to the development of human tissues and organs which could later be harvested for
transplant patients. Are you concerned yet about where this is
going? Thanks for watching! What do you think are the moral implications
of this kind of experimentation? Do you think genetic modifications should
be allowed? Let us know in the comments below! Remember to subscribe and see you next time!!! Byeeeeeee
