December 17, 2007: Brave Mice

Clodfobble · 12-17-2007, 05:35 PM

Fear is all in your head! Or at least it is for mice. That's what the Japanese researchers at Tokyo University set out to prove when they created a new breed of genetically modified mice that are not afraid of cats. By turning off certain smell receptors in the brains of their mice, the scientists were able to show that their newly-ballsy mice are only instinctively afraid of the predators' smell, rather than learning from experience that cats will gobble them up.

Alternatively, I suggest that they could design genetically odorless cats. Seems more useful in the long run to me.

12-17-2007, 05:35 PM	#1
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	December 17, 2007: Brave Mice Fear is all in your head! Or at least it is for mice. That's what the Japanese researchers at Tokyo University set out to prove when they created a new breed of genetically modified mice that are not afraid of cats. By turning off certain smell receptors in the brains of their mice, the scientists were able to show that their newly-ballsy mice are only instinctively afraid of the predators' smell, rather than learning from experience that cats will gobble them up. Alternatively, I suggest that they could design genetically odorless cats. Seems more useful in the long run to me.

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