Real Life Dr. Frankenstein Succeeds With Worms, Mice…People Next?
From Wired.com:
Long before he was creating zombie rodents for the Pentagon, biochemist Mark Roth became fascinated with the idea of immortality. Now, he’s found a way to “significantly increase life span[s]” — at least in worms. And the key is the same substance that Roth uses to turn mice into the semi-undead.
Roth discovered that if you cut off certain creatures’ oxygen supply in just the right way, they won’t die. Instead, they’ll fall into a kind of suspended animation, or hibernation. They wont take a breath. Their hearts won’t beat. Wounds stop bleeding; nearly any injury becomes survivable, and the brain shuts down without damage. “If you were shot, this is exactly what you would want,” Roth says. And when the wounds are bound up, the critters can be brought back, good as new. All that’s needed is a whiff of a hydrogen sulfide, which binds to mitochondria and impedes the body’s ability to use oxygen.
Biochemist Mark Roth.
In order to better understand the mechanics of how it works, Roth and his colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center “turned to the tiny nematode, a workhorse of laboratory science because its biology is similar in many respects that of humans,” according to a statement from the Center. “The worms also are ideally suited for studying life span, because they normally live for only two to three weeks.”
Nods to Noah Schachtman over at Wired.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
well how do you think helen thomas is still moving?
December 7th, 2007 at 12:48 pmin english : http://myprofile.cos.com/mroth
well I have read about the same in french ; althouth it says too, that breathing rotten eggs fragrance “HsO”, enables worms and mice to live longer, and that the discovering could be used for long space trips in future, to economise the food and keep people alive till they reach their goal
the article in french
December 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pmI’ve often said I don’t care if I look like Darth Vader, whatever it takes to get one more day, and then another, and then another. I’m not obsessed with it at 60, but, when I’m 80 I’ll be giving it more thought. As much time as I devoted to fucking things up I’d like a like amount of time not fucking everything up.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:17 pmThis has been done before. The creature is called ……….
………….John Kerry.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:19 pmjohn,
you could keep a few dozen of eggs in a warm atmosphere to get them rotten ; when Hilary (if she is elected) will come into power, then you can use your eggs to survive in hibernation till the end of her mendate
That will prolongate you with 8 years
December 7th, 2007 at 2:54 pmFranchie, what a good idea. Will it work for cats?
December 7th, 2007 at 4:24 pmdunno if the cat will appreciate the fragrance, anyway cats are said to live 7 lifes, so you got already one out of her former lifes, when’you’ll awaike, you’ll get another one if she is still around
December 7th, 2007 at 4:34 pmSteve in NC said:
well how do you think helen thomas is still moving?
ROFLMFAO
I have heard rumors about Fidel Castro for many years, but now that you mention Helen Thomas that would explain a lot.
December 7th, 2007 at 8:27 pmThat’s Frank-en-steen. Short “a” sound. LOL
December 8th, 2007 at 7:16 amMedics of the future may have this as part of their evac kit. Not to mention paramedics.
Could we kill the Frankenstein references, though? Other countries are catching up to/overtaking us in the sciences because of this not-very-veiled hostility to the seemingly “out there”.
December 8th, 2007 at 10:31 am