News: Whoville Breeds Green-Glowing Pigs

By Gurn Blanston
BBC News, Whoville

Scientists in Whoville say they have bred three pigs that glow in the dark.

They claim that while other researchers have bred partly fluorescent pigs, theirs are the only pigs in the world which are green through and through.

The animals are transgenic, created by adding genetic material from jellyfish into a normal pig embryo.

The researchers hope the animals will boost the island's stem cell research, as well as helping with the study of human disease.

The researchers, from National Whoville University's Department of Animal Science and Technology, say that although the pigs glow, they are otherwise no different from any others. They are perfectly at home in a box, with a fox, on a plane or on a train.

Whoville is not claiming a world first. Others have bred partially fluorescent pigs before. But the researchers insist the three pigs they have produced are better.

They are the only ones that are green from the inside out. Even their heart and delicious internal organs are green, they say.

To create them, DNA from jellyfish was added to about 265 pig embryos which were implanted in eight different pigs.

Four of the pigs became pregnant and three male piglets were born three months ago.

Green generation

In daylight the researchers say the pigs' eyes, teeth and trotters look green. Their skin has a greenish tinge.

In the dark, shine a blue light on them and they glow torch-light bright.

The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human disease. Because the pig's genetic material is green, it is easy to spot.

So if, for instance, some of its stem cells are injected into another animal, scientists can track how they develop without the need for a biopsy or invasive test.

But creating them has not been easy. Many of the altered embryos failed to develop, though chicken eggs have shown promising results.

The researchers say they hope the new, green pigs will mate with ordinary female pigs to create a new generation - much greater numbers of transgenic pigs for use in research.

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The J.E.I. Seal Of Approval XIV

Like the pokey Titanic trying to scoot betwixt the icy-bergs, firing up the blast furnace to get The Journal of Ephemeral Inspiration back up to running speed after our unexplained late Autumn sabbatical takes a bit of time. So to pace ourselves, we've elected to ease into things with our almost completely pointless J.E.I. Seal of Approval.

• Chuck Norris Facts
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• Esquire Cover Gallery
  OK, after that you're gonna need to decompress a little. This collection of Esquire Magazine covers dating back to 1933 is pretty fascinating, and won't give you a skull-cramp.
  
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  Hope you popped for the big iPod, because if this site gets its hooks into you, you're gonna be downloading enough vintage children's recordings to make Captain Kangaroo plotz. We're still waiting for Ernie & Bert's "Tiger Hunt" (b-side to the "Rubber Duckie" 45).
  
• Sears Wishbook 1979
  If you're in your mid-to-late thirties, this was your childhood Bible. No Christmas was complete without slipping a dog-eared Sears Wishbook to Mom & Dad with all the slot cars and crappy Sears-brand video games circled. Now scanned and Flickr'd for your nostalgic convenience. Really, where else but in a 1979 Sears Wishbook are you gonna see Superman clinging to Godzilla's leg like a squealing pussy?

Well done, all. Insania Fragilis, Fectum Dubitabilis!

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All Hail... Whatsisname.

On a recent outing to one of our fine local Asian markets, we spotted this beauty plastered to the front door. Fortunately, there was a pile of them next to the free (Asian) newspapers near the exit, because by gum, we were prepared to swipe the posted one right off the tempered glass.

We have no idea who this is, or what he's about, but let it be known across the land that he is now our all-powerful leader.


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