Sweet Wounded Jesus, It's a Glow-In-The-Dark Taiwanese Jellyfish-Pig
Scientists in Taiwan have bred three little piggies that glow green under dark-blue light. The pigs were created when researchers added genetic material from jellyfish to otherwise normal pig embryos. Of the 256 embryos implanted in eight sows, three successfully developed into the robust transgenic glowing mutant pigs they are today. In daylight, the pigs' eyes and skin emit a pale green color, not unlike glow-in-the-dark stickers. But the hue isn't just skin deep—all of the pigs' internal organs are green. The researchers say they will use the pigs to study human disease; the green genetic material is easy to spot and is, therefore a useful tool. Some pig, indeed.
(source: BBC)
Do NOT Let The Eagle Soar Like She's Ever Soared Before
Just as we were getting all warm and cozy on top of the food chain, a blow from above has knocked us down a notch. Scientists have announced that "Taung Child," a two-million-year-old hominid whose skull was found in 1924, was killed and eaten by an eagle. The child, who probably died at age three, was likely scooped up by an eagle, taken to the eagle's nest, and killed when the eagle ripped out its eyes and ate them. Researchers say the marks on the Taung Child's skull are more characteristic of eagle damage than of marks left by large cats. The scientists say our sordid past as bird feed may have contributed to the evolution of several of our more prominent traits, including walking upright, which makes us a smaller target for aerial attack.
(source: Reuters)
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Seeds of Disaster
If nuclear bombs blast every continent on the planet, human life may be gone, but our crops will remain. Norway is planning to build a "doomsday vault" to preserve all of the world's known crop seeds. The seed bank will be built into a sandstone mountain near the North Pole, and protected by permafrost, meter-thick walls of reinforced concrete, two airlocks and high-security blast-proof doors. It is designed to withstand both natural disasters and a nuclear holocaust. It also sounds like it will withstand survivors' attempts to access the seeds. Hopefully the Scandinavians will work that one out before an asteroid hits.
(source: BBC)
Warning: Contents May Be Hot
A cup of joe makes females randy, says a new study. The subjects may not have been the kind of girls you can bring home to mom and dad—the study was performed on female rats—but the effects are applicable to humans: Rats who took in a moderate dose of caffeine returned to their mates for sex more quickly than those who didn't. But don't get too, um, excited just yet: The researchers say loading up on caffeine will probably only increase sex drive in people or animals who are not habitual users. (source: LiveScience)
Boozin'...On A Monday Afternoon
Consider seven people in your office; statistically, one of them probably works under the influence of alcohol. A new study shows that 15% of American workers are directly affected by workplace alcohol use or by impairment caused by outside alcohol use. According to the study, you're more likely to work under the influence or with a hangover if you're young, male and single, or if you work in sales, management, arts, entertainment, sports or the media. This isn't to say most people come to work drunk—only 1.7% of the workforce (2.1 million people) has worked under the influence. But 7.1% of the workforce has consumed alcohol at least once during the workday and 9.2% of workers have worked with a hangover.
(source: University at Buffalo)