Sharks.
Once again Dr Evil proves he was way ahead of us.
Scientists have turned wimpy mice into ferocious hunters by zapping their brains with a laser. Using optogenetics, a technique that makes specific neurons fire when stimulated with light, the scientists activated a set of neurons in the amygdala. The amygdala, a small region within the brain, is associated with memory, …
Cats will get a similar upgrade.
They will be:
I'm too young to die
Hey, not too rough
Hurt me plenty
Ultra-Violence
and
Nightmare!
I'm still working on IDKFA, but we think it can be triggered by trying to tickle the cats tummy when it's dozing - that often breaks out all it's weapons at once, in my experience.
(Sorry.)
Steven R
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I'm all for the advancement of science and I guess sometimes experiments have to be done that frankly are a bit uncomfortable. However could someone explain the "why" on this one because firing lasers into mice brains to make them aggressive doesn't appear to stand out as a benefit to humans and looks more like a "Can we do it?" sort of experiment.
Yeah, I'm still on remission from my MAJESTIC mind-control experiment run by the CIA. T'was a blast.
I agree that mapping brain functions is very useful, but if you mix people in seats of power with psychopathologies into it (and there are many, probably most), things are getting dicey.
Also, Joe Haldeman in "The Forever War":
"Filters up." Gray haze of smoke and dust. Clods of dirt falling with a sound like heavy raindrops.
"Listen up!
"Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled;
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome to your gory bed,
Or to victory!' "
I hardly heard him for trying to keep track of what was going on in my skull. I knew it was just post-hypnotic suggestion, even remembered the session in Missouri when they'd implanted it, but that didn't make it any less compelling. My mind reeled under the strong pseudo-memories: shaggy hulks that were Taurans (not at all what we now knew they looked like) boarding a colonists' vessel, eating babies while mothers watched in screaming terror (the colonists never took babies; they wouldn't stand the acceleration), then raping the women to death with huge veined purple members (ridiculous that they would feel desire for humans), holding the men down while they plucked flesh from their living bodies and gobbled it (as if they could assimilate the alien protein) . . . a hundred grisly details as sharply remembered as the events of a minute ago, ridiculously overdone and logically absurd. But while my conscious mind was rejecting the silliness, somewhere much deeper, down in that sleeping animal where we keep our real motives and morals, something was thirsting for alien blood, secure in the conviction that the noblest thing a man could do would be to die killing one of those horrible monsters ...
I knew it was all purest soyashit, and I hated the men who had taken such obscene liberties with my mind, but I could even hear my teeth grinding, feel my cheeks frozen in a spastic grin, blood-lust . . . A teddy bear walked in front of me, looking dazed. I started to raise my laserfinger, but somebody beat me to it and the creature's head exploded in a cloud of gray splinters and blood.
Firing lasers into mice brains may not have a practical use, but let's do a thought experiment here.
This research is helping scientists understand how the brain works. More specifically how the brain's processes control things like violent impulses. More importantly, they're understanding how to turn those impulses on and off.
What if this were to lead to a procedure, medication, treatment, etc. that could turn a violent, impulsive criminal into a productive member of society? What if this research leads to the ability to identify and treat such individuals before they go on violent killing sprees? Then is it worthwhile?
Granted, that's an extreme case of shortening the path between basic research and practical application, but the basic research tends to be the first in many steps to concrete results.
Always remember the most important words in science: "hmm, that's odd"
Trust one who knows - the kind of people who torture (i.e. "experiment on") animals are exactly the same people who fill those jobs at secret prisons and 'Black Sites'. From a good source, these miscreants cut the vocal cords first, so their victims can't scream out in pain. Yup, that's what they really do.
> When other mice are added to the cage and the laser is switched on, the mice did not attack each other.
I'm betting that at least some of the scientists were a little disappointed when they observed that. They went to the trouble of performing the experiment after all. And then nothing happened. Scuppering their hopes for a organizing the lab's mouse gladiator championship ... ? Maybe putting their DARPA grant application at risk ... ?
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It all becomes so clear now. Having gotten early wind of this research, unidentified terrorists are conducting field experiments. Their goal is obviously to turn the flight crew into rampaging berserkers and fly the aircraft into something. It's brilliant! Totally obviates the need to get weapons or holy brothers (cough) past security checks. The lasers are available everywhere cheap, unlike C4 bricks and Stinger missiles.
Something must be done! Think of the children on airplanes!
"I have a great fear of wooden sticks and bottle caps from my youth, and so with this latest work I can now employ a vast army of laser-controlled mice to rid the world of the scourge that is wooden sticks and bottle caps. Fucking wooden sticks and bottle caps, what good have THEY ever done I ask you?! What?! WHAT?! [unintelligible speech] goddamn wooden sticks and bottle caps and [unintelligible speech, trails off. he fell asleep muttering]"