Taiwanese breed fluorescent pigs

Green back bacon anyone?

Written by Iain Thomson

Researchers at the National Taiwan University Department of Animal Science and Technology have bred pigs that glow in the dark. 

Three male piglets, born three months ago, have green eyes, teeth and trotters and their skin glows green under blue light. The researchers said that the fluorescence continues through the piglets' bodies including their internal organs.

The piglets were created by adding DNA from glowing jellyfish to embryos which were then implanted in normal pigs. Some 265 eggs were altered and implanted and the three piglets were the only viable end results.

The pigs will be used to test cures for human diseases as the green tinge will make the pig matter easier to spot. Pigs are commonly used in this way as their cells are very similar to those of humans.

It is now hoped that the altered pigs will breed with their normal brethren and eliminate the need for genetic manipulation.

Tags:

Further reading

IBM seeks to map human brain

Blue Gene supercomputer to model precise circuitry of the neocortex   More...

Microsoft helps in search for HIV vaccine

Researchers deploy software traditionally used for complex databases   More...

Scientists Fret over nanotech breakthrough

Brain activity monitored using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer   More...

Related articles

Boffins breed glow-in-the-dark pigs

Makes cooking bacon at night easier   More...

Machines to match human brain by 2029

US futurologist predicts official arrival of artificial intelligence   More...

Pac-Man reveals human response to threats

Boffins use arcade game to research fight or flight reflex   More...

Femtosecond laser promises cancer treatment breakthrough

Ultra-fast lasers no longer the stuff of fantasy   More...

Do you agree?

Advertisement

Job of the week

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Hiring now on ComputingCareers:

Related IT jobs

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Advertisement

Watch

16 May 2008

2.97 MBXP on OLPC, broken dreams and Yahoo fights back More...

15 May 2008

3.28 MBDark fibre, mobile TV and solar power More...

14 May 2008

2.66 MBOnline inequality, mobile thumbprints and corporate raids More...

Poll

HOME WORKING

HOME WORKING

Do you let any or all of your employees work from home?

Previous poll results

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Spotlight

OLPC

OLPC to ship with Windows XP

Microsoft teams up with One Laptop per Child project   More...

The Sims

The Sims goes flat-pack with Ikea

Virtual world gets Swedish wood   More...

Advertisement

Microsoft-Yahoo

Yahoo board fights back at Icahn

Investor accused of 'significant misunderstanding' in Microsoft saga   More...

MySpace

Woman charged over MySpace suicide

Lori Drew indicted on federal charges   More...

Advertisement