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Mighty Mouse
Have you ever seen a mouse run right up to a cat? Few people had, until scientists in Tokyo made fearless mice. The scientists used genetic engineering to take the fear out of the furry little rodents.
Fear of cats is not something that mice learn, they are born with it. The fear is in their genes. Genes are tiny bits of a protein called DNA that determine many things about people and animals. For instance, if you have blue eyes or red hair, it is because of your genes. But genes also cause things that are harder to see. They may determine how animals behave in certain situations. Mice have genes that make them terrified of cats. It makes sense, since cats kill mice.
The scientists altered the genes of a mouse so that it was missing certain cells in its nose. The cells send signals to the mouseís brain. When the scientists did this, they switched off the automatic fear that a mouse feels when it smells a cat. Now the mouse without those cells just runs right up to cats and even cuddles with them! The scientists think that this research will teach them more about how animals, and even people, experience fear. It might even teach them how to control fear in people. Sounds kindaÖ scary.
I'm Adelbert and that's what happened in Science this week!
Photo: AP
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