Japanese Scientists Create 'Mighty' Mouse

[saikira]

The age-old animosity between cats and mice could be a thing of the past with genetically modified 'mighty' mice that Japanese scientists created. Watch the video:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_gvv_0OLE

Scientists at Tokyo University say they have used genetic engineering to successfully switch off a mouse's instinct to cower at the smell or presence of cats -- showing that fear is genetically hardwired and not learned through experience, as commonly believed.

"Mice are naturally terrified of cats and usually panic or flee at the smell of one," research team leader Ko Kobayakawa said. "But mice with certain nasal cells removed through genetic engineering didn't display any fear."
Kobayakawa said his findings, published in the science magazine Nature last month, should help researchers shed further light on how the brain processes information about the outside world.

Source: Mainichi

[Tsuki_Panda]

wait wait... so what about the cat eating the mouse? The cat still has its sense of smell doesn't it??

[URoxMYSox]

That's pretty cool! I think the point here is not to develop genetically modified mice so that cats and mice would be friends, but a research on how brain reacts in situations like this. Whether mice are instinctively afraid of cats or do they learn etc. It would definitely give brain researchers new information about human brains and how we perceive.

[Fralin]

wait wait... so what about the cat eating the mouse? The cat still has its sense of smell doesn't it??

same question here, im still wondering why the cat didnt attack that mouse, they dont do somethin to the cat rite?

but its still a great findings, n maybe it could be something very useful for mankind

[leper1983]

Wait...... Does that mean that jerry the mouse can kick tom's @$$??? Man, i hate that mouse and now it's gonna beat tom?????
NO FAIR!

[DEPTHSING]

wooo~read about this in the news b4. a few of the amazing thngs science brings to humankind, creating love and care among age old rivalries~rather than idiotic thngs like sex change operations and breasts enhancements.

[echuol]

if that could be expanded on to humans with modifications that could help people that have phobias.but that will take ages.either some things are better left like they are as nature has it's own way of doing things.