I’m still trying to figure out what the benefit of this genetic mod could possibly be: in Japan, scientists have bred mutant mice (always a good idea) to have no fear of cats. They’ve taken away the rodents’ ability to smell and react to cats, producing mice that see kitty and want to play. No, really — watch the video to see an adorable little mouse pester a cat for attention. Which is really adorable and totally unsettling at the same time, given that I was expecting the cat to, you know, suddenly act like a cat and with a single flash of fang, praise the Japanese for the sudden turn in fortune where the fuzzy tasty toys of the world come right up and practically scream, “Chew my cute little head off, please.” Still, I can’t help but wonder where this is all leading, except to the development of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses, “Specially designed to help people develop a relaxed attitude to danger. At the first hint of trouble, they turn totally black and thus prevent you from seeing anything that might alarm you.”
Good idea?
This was a waste of time for Japanese scientists, cats already have a spray (that effects all animals, even humans.) that makes them “attract” their pray towards them with a scent that triggers a certain part of the brain. This is mainly for mice and rats, so they become “fearless” and in a way “stunned” so they are easier to catch. Why genetically alter them to do the same thing the scent does? American scientists are smart for researching how this scent works instead of try to do it themselves. Why create something that already exists, and is way less dangerous.