Once, I started a thread about the future of human bodies and brains. I said: we will be making more efficient creatures that need far less energy to perform much better - beings with hyper-efficient metabolisms. Such highly energy efficient bodies could then spend more energy on brain functions and on growing far bigger brains.
These fat brains would in turn of course discover and develop much better energy technologies as well as much better humans - ever lighter, more efficient, smarter, happier people - a positive feedback loop. We would also require far less food.
In short, my prediction of a liveable planet capable of supporting hundreds of billions of small, hyper-efficient, hyper-intelligent, ultra-happy, long-living humanoid beings (basically heads on legs) is not that far off.
Let's start by genetically modifying a mouse, so that it becomes twice as efficient. Twice as efficient - that is only the beginning:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]Lab creates 'long-distance mouse'
A genetically modified "supermouse" which can run twice as far as a normal rodent has been created by scientists working in the US.
It also lives longer, and breeds later in life compared with its standard laboratory cousin.
The research has been conducted at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Details of the scientists' new transgenic animals are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The mice were produced to study the biochemistry at play in metabolism and could aid the understanding of human health and disease.
The GM rodents can run five to six kilometres at a speed of 20 meters per minute on a treadmill, for up to six hours before stopping.
"They are metabolically similar to Lance Armstrong biking up the Pyrenees; they utilise mainly fatty acids for energy and produce very little lactic acid," said Professor Richard Hanson, the senior author on the journal article.
He told BBC News: "The muscles of these mice have many more mitochondria. These are the little 'engines' in the cell that produce energy. For some reason, the number of mitochondria are around 10 times more than we see in the muscle of their littermates."
The mice over-express a gene responsible for the enzyme phosphoenolypyruvate carboxykinases (PEPCK-C). Normal expression is in the liver, in the production of glucose.
The scientists found their new mice would eat twice as much as normal mice - but weigh half as much. They could also give birth at three years old - which in human terms is akin to an 80-year-old woman giving birth.
Other research groups have produced similar novel rodents by altering different aspects of their genetics. One criticism of the work is that it could open the door to abuse, with the spectre of athletes resorting to gene therapy to try to improve their performance.
But Professor Hanson played this down. "Right now, this is impossible to do - putting a gene into muscle. It's unethical. And I don't think you'd want to do this. These animals are rather aggressive, we've noticed."
Scientists say such work is more likely to help them understand human conditions, such as those which lead to wasting of the muscles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7074831.stm
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Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
by lorenzo » Fri 02 Nov 2007, 12:54:00
The beginning is near!
Last edited by lorenzo on Fri 02 Nov 2007, 13:09:04, edited 3 times in total.
The Beginning is Near!
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lorenzo - Intermediate Crude
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Re: Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
by lorenzo » Fri 02 Nov 2007, 13:05:04
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shannymara', 'W')ow, the days of a small genetically engineered super-class of elites and a giant underclass of retarded human slaves grow ever closer. How wonderful! Or were you thinking the generous wealthy governments of the world will engineer all the poor people's kids as a charitable service, kind of like how they're working so hard to end poverty right now?
Give me a break.
Give me a break.
Fair point. But I was talking about marxist mice.
Science is value-free. We decide what we do with it, we are in power. If it is up to me, we create hyper-efficient, uber-happy, hyper-light, ultra-smart, explicitly hyper-left wing humanoid creatures.
It can be done, it's only a matter of time before we identify the Marx gene. In fact, genes for altruism have already been found. We only need to tweak them.
This is a matter of policy.
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Re: Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
by Falconoffury » Fri 02 Nov 2007, 14:22:12
You mean like this?
I wonder if aliens look like that because of genetic engineering for the exact purposes you are describing.
I wonder if aliens look like that because of genetic engineering for the exact purposes you are describing.
"If humans don't control their numbers, nature will." -Pimentel
"There is not enough trash to go around for everyone," said Banrel, one of the participants in the cattle massacre.
"Bush, Bush, listen well: Two shoes on your head," the protesters chant
"There is not enough trash to go around for everyone," said Banrel, one of the participants in the cattle massacre.
"Bush, Bush, listen well: Two shoes on your head," the protesters chant
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Re: Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
by joewp » Fri 02 Nov 2007, 14:26:53
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lorenzo', '
')In short, my prediction of a liveable planet capable of supporting hundreds of billions of small, hyper-efficient, hyper-intelligent, ultra-happy, long-living humanoid beings (basically heads on legs) is not that far off.
')In short, my prediction of a liveable planet capable of supporting hundreds of billions of small, hyper-efficient, hyper-intelligent, ultra-happy, long-living humanoid beings (basically heads on legs) is not that far off.
I must admit, you make me laugh Lorenzo!
By the way, evolution has already gotten rid of the legs:
Joe P. joeparente.com
"Only when the last tree is cut; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught; only then will they realize that you cannot eat money." - Cree Indian Proverb
"Only when the last tree is cut; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught; only then will they realize that you cannot eat money." - Cree Indian Proverb
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Re: Lab creates super mouse - twice as energy efficient
by Pixie » Fri 02 Nov 2007, 14:58:17
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lorenzo', 'O')nce, I started a thread about the future of human bodies and brains. I said: we will be making more efficient creatures that need far less energy to perform much better
From my reading of the article, these mice go in the opposite direction. They eat twice as much. These are like green revolution mice. Fertilize the bejesus out of a green revolution crop, pour water on it, and it will produce a huge head of grain. With these mice, feed them like nuts, and they will beat the tar out of their neighbors, bike up the Pyranees, and bear lots of children until into their old age.
These are not heads on legs. These are super soldiers. Cannon fodder from hell.
Just another tofu-munching bike-riding Rambo(/Rambette)
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