We Have Real, Living Glow in the Dark Pigs Now, Because Science Says “Why Not?”
Making pigs who are their own nightlight was surprisingly high on the list of genetic engineering uses.
Advances in genetic engineering have allowed scientists at the South China Agricultural University to raise piglets that glow green when exposed to black light. If you were already on the fence about whether there’s a God, you might have your answer in that none of these scientists were smote for creating light switch rave-ready pigs.
The piglet embryos were injected with the fluorescent protein contained in jellyfish DNA, which is less useful for creating glowing animals and more for enabling animals to create enzymes that might be useful in treating human diseases.
Allow us to clarify: the DNA injection technique, pioneered by the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Medicine, is actually super useful for creating glowing animals. Glowing animals just aren’t that useful. They certainly are neat to look at, though. Despite how angry the pigs sound in the video, we’re happy to report that they’re expected to live healthy, normal lives outside of their black light party-trick, which is sure to impress the pig ladies.
As it turns out, this isn’t even the first time that the technique has been used to create glowing animals. You can also watch an adorable glowing bunny, though the glowing is certainly not what makes it adorable. It just gives you an excuse to watch a bunch of cute animals, which is pretty much the point of the Internet anyway.
(via The Verge, image via UHMed on Vimeo)
- Human babies are adorable when they glow (with LEDs, not DNA)
- Science also engineered silkworms to spin fluorescent thread
- Dogs can glow in the dark if you get the right collar
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