Glow-in-the-dark pigs and banana vaccines: Has human curiosity taken a step too far? By Tilda Hardman Year 10
When a proposal is obviously absurd and never
stem-cell science and potentially producing
going to work, we often say ‘pigs might fly’. But
enzymes to cure maladies such as haemophilia,
what about ‘pigs might glow’? It’s not as absurd
for which there is currently no cure. Due to the
as you think. In fact, it’s happening right now
stem cell’s unique ability to regenerate damaged
and it is just one of the by-products of amazing
tissue, scientists think they could be used for
developments in genetic engineering.
transplants and reformative medicine.
The idea of glowing pigs might instantly strike
But why take such measures to merge the DNA
you as unsettling and unnecessary. After all,
of two species so unalike? This is a question
who needs swine that can luminesce under
that has been spotlighted by the Home Office
HEV light? Scientists are divided on their
and is under increasing scrutiny with statistics
efficacy with some claiming they provide
revealing that in 2020, there were 1.44 million
invaluable insight into human disease and
experimental procedures on the breeding of
others arguing they’re just mutant monsters.
genetically-altered animals.
These transgenic pigs are created by implanting
Scientists
jellyfish
material of pigs encodes a protein that lights up
DNA
into
pig embryos, boosting
have detected that the genetic
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