#genetic modification

[mammoth-clangen]

Honestly cloning has limited usefulness in conservation, let alone deextinctuon. If a population has bottlenecked or fallen below the carrying threshold then cloning what's left doesn't functionally help. Even cloning a recently deceased individual might not help, depending on a lot of factors. It's annoying that it's treated like this big help to conservation when frankly well managed breeding programs are a much bigger help than cloning will ever be.

Oh don't get me wrong

There's certainly room for thoughtful, ethical cloning use in conservation!

A really great example is in Black-footed ferrets just last year. They're critically endangered partially due to reduced fertility from inbreeding depression.

Two jills (female ferrets) were cloned from historic samples of a ferret called Willa, who was captured and never reproduced in her lifetime. Because of this, reintroducing her genes helped bolster the genetic diversity of the population!

This is one of the twin ferret sisters, Antonia.

Better yet, the above ferret then went on to give birth to healthy kits! They're super cute, and being 100% ferret made the old-fashioned way (not clones), shouldn't have any of the issues that clones sometimes do.

Behold them!

But what Colossal is doing is not cloning!

I can't stress that enough! It's genetic modification, but cloning means creating a complete replicate of another animal.

Even using genetic modification has many potential applications in conservation; coding endangered species with resistance to population-devastating diseases, or using it to recode lost genetic diversity, as a few examples. But the way Colossal is using it is not to preserve endangered species. They have created, depending on your opinion:

1) a GMO grey wolf (or wolfdog, given where the white-coat gene came from).

2) a completely new transgenic species.

They claim to be filling the niche left by an extinct species, but this is honestly BS. They haven't made an extinct species, nor an endangered one. It couldn't even fill the niche if that niche was still open.

"The T. rex in this Jurassic Park is just a frog..."

-paraphrased from sparrowlucero

[hyacinthi-mortem]

The best science thing ever has to be aids cat.

Like they attached the gene that makes certain jellyfish fluoresce under uv light to a gene that makes the kitty immune to feline hiv, so that they could see if the gene was successfully inserted into the kitty cat genome

And as a result, glow stick kitties!!!

I love you aids cat

My luminous kitten :3

Let's glow with mama!!

[stainlesssteellocust]

Ogryn headcanon acquired

source is The Witch Lives, by @open-sketchbook

[alpaca-clouds]

Gene Tech is not your enemy

Let me throw one unpopular opinion at you: Gene Tech is actually not a bad. Genetically modified crops and what not are not bad and no, they will probably not give you cancer or anything of the like. In fact, if we want to save the planet and what not, we should totally embrace gene tech and gene editing.

With that I do not mean: "Edit human genes." Which is something that on one hand would be interesting and could have great promise, but on the other hand... would probably make the world so much world and lead to all sorts of eugenics.

No, I am talking first and foremost about editing the genes of some plants and maybe some insects.

See, I live in Germany, where a lot of GMO food is actually outlawed, which I find not good. Now, let me make one thing clear: Nobody should be able to copyright the genum of a crop. So fuck the hell off, Monsanto!

But gene editing can help us overcome many problems.

For once, we just have to face the facts: Climate is changing right now. It is changing and it creates bad harvests in many areas of the earth, because the crops are not adjusted for the new climate. In some areas it suddenly is too wet, in others it is too dry.

Humans have always edited the genes of plants and animals, of course. Just that we did it the very slow way by selective breeding them. Without selective breeding a wolf does not turn into a poodle.

Our ability to directly edit the genum of crops now allows us to quickly adust to the changing climate. Which might save a lot of people, if we allow it.

But apart from that, we can also do other things by gene editing.

We might be able to create plants, that are much better at storing CO2, than they would normally be. We are in fact able to create bacteria and algea, that eat micro plastics. We might in general be able to create bacteria able to dissolve garbage. We might be able to sustain plant species that otherwise might perish due to climate change.

And there might actually be some other things. See, we could maybe extinguish maleria thanks to gene tech. And we might be able to fight invasive species through it.

A lot of people in the conservation movement will be like "No, we should not mess with nature". But the thing is, that we already are messing with it.

Gene tech can help us to actually fix some of the problems we caused.

Again: Fucking Monsanto should not be allowed to copyright crops they created like this. But just because they are using it this way, does not mean, that the technology itself is horrible.

Opposing it just... does not get us anywhere.

[jalicefanficblog]

saw on ya main blog you wrote for carmen sandiego. a dr. saira bellum x child reader scene please with mind experiments?

I am full into Carmen Sandiego Mood lately and love the Series and its complex Characters. So i wrote a little Oneshot about our beloved Dr. Bellum and a femal child reder (platonic of course!)

Little Lucky Charm

You were one of the few children on Vile Island.

Not created because someone found you, but rather brought into this world through a genetic experiment combined with dark science and the brain experiments of Dr. Saira Bellum.

A creation that should not have existed from an ethical point of view. But when you are born on Vile Island… or created like in your case, such a detail does not count.

The annoying baby phase was skipped and you saw the light of day at the age of 2, fully developed with the vocabulary of a toddler and the emotional ups and downs.

Some might say you are a little spitting image of Saira and Dash Haber. You inherited your 'mother's' bad eyesight and your father's gray hair, your eyes are blue-gray. You have a curious character but your parents taught you early on what behavior and following rules mean. At the age of 3, you are always very proud when you can help your mom with one of her experiments.

You don't understand that these are evil experiments that harm other people. For you, everything your mother does is exciting, much more exciting than the strange things that Aunt Cleo collects or the questions that Uncle Gunnar, asks you while grinning so strangely and writing something down on a pad of paper. Your mom also likes cat videos. Cats are soooo great!

That's why one of your favorite students at the Vile Academy is Tigress. She has a big cat costume and every time you run into her, you call out loudly and for everyone else to hear - big kitten - before you try to hug one of Tigress' legs. Most of the time, however, Tigress uses her acrobatic skills and her speed to get to safety from you. She's not really the person who likes children. But that doesn't bother you - you still like the big kitten. Even if she's not one of your mother's favorite students.

That would be Crackle - also known as Graham - but you don't find him half as nice as Paper Star. One of Uncle Gunnar's favorites. Which of course doesn't mean that you don't have a favorite among the male students at the academy. Even though he doesn't speak and speaks a completely different language, he understood exactly what you wanted to say with your toddler sounds and words, especially in the first few months after you were created. If you had to choose, your very best friend on the entire campus would definitely be Mime Bomb. You like him and he is currently trying to teach you his way of communicating.

You have a rather mixed relationship with your mom's other friends. After all, the last child on the island was Black Sheep - unfortunately, your paths never crossed.

You were created , after Black Sheep left the island. Countess Cleo was not good with children and once refused to look after you for a few hours at your mother's request, because Saira had to go to an international villain meeting in Seattle and the other Vile chairmen were busy and your father was on an outside mission in New Zealand. Luckily, Coach Brunt took on the task and gave you a cupcake. She is like the cool, strong aunt to you. Even if her outbursts of anger sometimes make you seek protection behind Uncle Gunnar. Similar to Cleo, Shadowsan also kept you at a distance and was always strict with you. Perhaps also because he didn't want an incident like the one with Black Sheep to happen again.

"Daddah back soon? Miss Daddah soooo much!" - you spread your arms to make it clear to Dash , in your video call via the tablet how much you miss him. It had been so many nights since you said goodnight to the moon and indirectly to Dash too, of course, and so many listening cd´s , that your mom put on for you to help you sleep while she was still working overtime in her lab and researching new inventions.

Sometimes your father didn't want you to call him that in front of the other Vile members, because it was actually just the DNA that Dash had thrown together with Saira's DNA. But you saw him as your father and didn't care if he would pull a dramatic face when Aunt Cleo made a nasty comment.

"I still have a lot to do. You will be a good girl for Dr. Bellum?" - Dash's answer sounded cold , but there was a spark of compassion in his eyes.

"Good girl, yes! Help Mommy! By by Daddah!”, you wave once into the camera as your father has to end the video call and then run out of your room with the tablet in your hand to your mother , to give the tablet back. Saira was careful not to give you too much screen time.

"There's my lucky charm! Come to Mommy, you can help me and Professor Maelstrom with an important experiment!" - with these words, your mom picked you up and you quickly dropped the tablet onto the sofa , before you automatically wrapped your arms around her neck and were curious about what kind of experiment it was.

You can help? How great! You're a good helper! A good girl to be proud of. Maybe there will be muffins or cupcakes for that later?

You were put down on a table in your mother's lab and Uncle Gunnar came into the room followed by Crackle. Crackle , was told to sit in the chair… it didn't look like a normal chair… not really like your high chair either, which you were less and less keen to get into. Was it a new chair?

“…..it won't happen again…I can get better!”, - said Crackle as the arm straps closed.

“Was Crackle naughty....bad?”, you asked curiously to Uncle Gunnar as your mom approached the now immobilized Crackle with a small device.

Gunnar stood next to you at the edge of the table, partly because you leaned forward curiously and threatened to fall down - he grabbed you and put you down on the floor….the cleaners, had enough to do, they don't have to remove blood stains from a toddler.

“Oh indeed. Crackle broke the rules and now has to face the consequences”, - said Gunnar with a devious undertone.

“Bad Crackle! Don't break rules! Time out,” - you said, making clicking noises with your tongue.

“Oh my little lucky charm, I don’t think our Crackle can make up for this rule breaking with a time out” - your mother laughed, almost in a delusional manner, and then turned to Crackle.

“It won’t hurt, you’ll just be a little dizzy… and then the happy days will follow!”

The next thing you saw was your mom putting the strange device on Crackle’s head, turning it on and then Crackle letting out a few panicked screams , before his body remained sitting on the chair, asleep and without the energy to defend itself. Apparently he had fainted.

Your mom starts to laugh evilly, Uncle Gunnar starts to laugh amusedly, so it must be something good… the evil Crackle has learned that you should follow rules… so you giggle childishly once and clap your hands several times, you adapt to the mood of the adults. Because they know what is right and what is wrong.

“That’s my girl! Just watch careful, then one day you'll be just as wonderful a scientist as your mommy!” - your mother said happily, first putting the strange device away and then picking you up again.

“Your thoughts and brain experiments are getting better . And Crackle won't remember anything?”, said Gunnar as the two were on their way to the meeting room, where the other chairmen of Vile were already waiting for them. You had now rested your head tiredly on your mother's right shoulder and your eyes half closed, you would soon be asleep.

“I guarantee that Crackle won't remember anything , that has to do with us, the island or Vile… but I will never forget my boy,” said your mom.

Half asleep, you pat your mom's left hand and the glove.

“My mommy! Me mommy's favorite”

Uncle Gunnar's amused laughter penetrates your ears like cotton wool as you get increasingly tired.

But you hear your mom's answer and loving words very clearly before you slip into a gentle sleep.

"Of course you are mommy's favorite, my favorite girl…my favorite lucky charm. Forever"

THE END

[handlinepic]

[badlibbing]

EVERYONE SHUT UP AND LOOK AT THIS

First of all, the visible confusion of this mosquito is hilarious. This girl is absolutely baffled. Stumped. Bamboozled. Dumbfounded. You can practically see the question marks over her head. We've all been there, girlfriend.

Second, regarding the actual concept of modifying their proboscises (probosces?), this is BRILLIANT. It's mitigating the mosquitoes' ability to spread infections without outright exterminating them. Of course, lots of people would rather kill them all, but contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes are actually ecologically important. So, if this modification process becomes widespread, it would mean cutting down bloodborne diseases AND preserving the food web.

The only issue I see with this, long-term, is that we don't really know how a total or near-total lack of blood meals would affect mosquito reproduction in the grand scheme of things. We know that collected blood is important to nourishing developing eggs. But frankly, I don't think anyone has the resources to study the effects of blood-feeding deprivation on a large scale over multiple generations.

(I could be wrong! Please attach any studies that may have data on this!)

CONCLUSION: This is a great idea in theory but could potentially have some drawbacks. I'm not an expert by any means, I'm just expressing cautious optimism at this concept.

[star-trek-fandom-confessions]

1390

I wish snw shared what experiences the other founding federation members had with genetic modification. Just wonder what else informed their decisions when it came to the ban.

[im-literally-so-dun]

(Yeets the asks out the window bc bitch can come up with her OWN)

How do you feel about genetic modification to ensure health and wellbeing? Worth it? Nah?

Short answer? No, I will never support genetic modification.

Long answer? Genetic modification is humanity trying to play God. On a surface level, perhaps, it might seem like a good thing. We can eradicate diseases, disabilities, other harmful things! Isn’t that wonderful? It might seem wonderful; but the problem with imperfect, innately sinful human being trying to play God… is that we are not God. We are by no means perfect, or all-knowing. All it takes is one scientist with a bias against a specific set of traits, and next thing you know, boom, eugenics! Which definitely isn’t a good thing. Sure, you can try and claim that won’t happen, but I don’t have any illusions about humanity being basically good. We’ve seen it repeated countless times in human history: humans make mistakes, or intentionally harm others. That’s not going to change. There is nothing new under the Sun.

That is what separates us from God. He is perfect, we are not. And that’s why He has the power of creation and we don’t XD

[leebrontide]

Science side of tumblr, I need your help.

If I wanted to give a human cat ears a la catgirl, and I only changed the cells in the area around their ears/tail etc would that be likely to activate graft vs host rejection?

Like would I have to change the genes in the whole body to prevent rejection?

[coupleofdays]

Fluorescense photograph by Dr. Charles Mazel of a mouse that has been genetically modified to link the cytoskeletal protein actin with a fluorescent green protein.

[tilbageidanmark]

Frankenlime

[catboyvigilante]

WHY DO WE CALL OURSELVES THE TOP OF THE FOODCHAIN WHEN WE CANT EVEN PURR!! GIVE ME THE PURR ORGAN NOW!

[ginniehazel]

Trying to make a farming game with animal/plant traits controlled by genetics. It's... going.

[aut2imagineart]

I had to put in a lot of time and work for this piece but I was set on this concept.  Just like how I created various posthuman species for my Centauri universe, I wanted to create a bunch of variants of for another major group in said universe, the Uplifted (hybrid animals with human level sapience).  If humans need to modify/evolve to survive in different planets, it would make sense that the uplifted would need to do so as well in some cases.  What I have are the cases where I imagine the most notable changes would occur.

The top row are the uplifted modified for high gravity environments.  The Avian Parogions would have stronger bone structures and walk on their wings for additional support but wouldn't be too impacted by high gravity due to their lighter mass.  Ironically, the higher air pressure on high gravity worlds would make flight easier for them.  The mammoth-like Behemoths would have a more challenging time in high gravity.  They counteract this by using their tusks and trunks as additional support that functions like a sled while their more flexible feet shuffles across the ground eliminating the need to lift their legs.  The Dolphopods normally wouldn't be effected by gravity as they are normally in water and use technology to move on land.  For high gravity worlds, locomotive technology is more problematic so the Dolphopods would be modified to have more flattened bodies that move across land similar to slugs and mudskippers.  The Great Apes would be quadrapedic like Hi-G humans would which makes them resemble their less sapient ancestors.

The second row are low gravity inhabitants (with the exception of the Dolphopod).  Low gravity Behemoths have a lighter build that makes them more resemble camels and large antelopes.  Though adapted for lower gravity, they can tolerate earth gravity due to retaining sufficient bone and muscle density.  Low gravity Parogions are largely similar to their base counterparts save for longer legs and proportionately larger wings to fly in thinner air pressure.  Great apes in low gravity, like the Behemoths, possess a lighter build making them resemble gibbons from Earth with similar acrobatic agility.  The Dolphopod depicted in the second row isn't modified for low gravity as there wouldn't be a need for it.  Instead it's designed for fully terrestrial environments such as desert worlds, becoming a tripod with it's modified flippers and tail.

The third row are aquatic variants of which the dolphopods are excluded as they're naturally marine.  All of them possess both gills and lungs as well as retain the ability to move on land for adaptive flexibility.  The aquatic behemoth's physiology resemble an extinct order of marine mammals called the Desmostylia, while the aquatic Parogions resemble penguins and the aquatic Great Apes are more frog-like.

The last row are the super soldier variants of the uplifted, part of a group I call the Irradiated.  Each member of the Irradiated is genetically and cybernetically modified to be at their peak physiology and able to withstand extreme environments including hi-radiation (hence the name).  I have each of them partially armored to showcase some of their distinct physical features and are to scale with all the other uplifted (the irradiated Behemoth stands at 5.2m or 17.1ft at the shoulder).

Some of these designs may evolve over time and I might include more if I can think of any unique designs with a good reason for them.

As always, comments and critiques are welcome.

[the-thing-of-worms]

Horrors of the Fruitfly, Part 12:

Master post | part 11 | part 13

Authors note: I have a very limited understanding of hox genes and genetic modification, while I did my best to research both online and by asking my former biology teacher questions, there is still a good chance I misunderstood how hox genes work, if you are a specialist in the field, or notice that I did a poor explanation of how something works, please let me know so i may correct it, while this is science fiction, I want it to be good science fiction.

Also if you enjoyed reading this, please consider liking or reblogging! It helps a lot with my motivation!