Mighty Mouse The Future Is Upon Us Washington -- Scientists tinkering with newly discovered gene have created a strapping breed of mouse with muscles that are two to three times bigger than those of normal mice. Genetics, the avant guard arena of science. Scientists with noble intentions, altering life forms. This is no big surprise anymore. News pours in of cloning, hormone enhanced beef products, altered tomatoes, ruby apples, and the list goes on. Remember Killer Bees? They started the same way. A scientist looking for a way to increase honey production. An experiment that got loose and into the wild. Swarms of bees, migrating across two continents. Disrupting normal pollen cycles. Damaging crops. Attacking animals. Killing people. What happens when a non-natural life form enters the wild? Nature takes it course. What about cloning? It’s almost funny how many people believe that a cloned animal comes out fully grown, mature. The power of suggestion from TV and movies is truly astounding. But cloning isn’t altering a life form, it’s replicating it. “Tinkering” with genes and altering life forms is very tricky business. It really doesn’t matter whether it’s a mammal, or a reptile, or a tuber, or a protozoan, it’s changing the natural order and evolution of that life form. I am the first to agree that the benefits of genetics are, can be,will be an enormous boon to the planet earth, as a whole. The problem is with the control. How long do you need to control a genetically altered life form? Let’s take mighty mouse here and imagine a scenario. The article says that the scientists are looking for treatment to help in muscle-wasting diseases like muscular dystrophy, cancer, and AIDS. A noble cause. They gone on to say a side benefit is genetically engineered farm animals with double the meat and the same fat content. An economic cause. They say that mighty mouse is perfectly normal. When bred with other mighty mice, produces mighty offspring. “The shoulders and hips look a little bulky, and the way they move is a little sluggish.” But they act like normal mice. So the scientist spend a few more years breeding the mighty mice in a controlled environment. Trying to find the answers to their noble cause. Trying to find endorsements for their economic cause. One mighty mouse escapes. What happens then? Ever buy a hamster? I did way back in 1966 or so. Bought two in fact, Bonnie and Clyde if I recall. The cute little things came with a warning and a document to sign. I was twelve. the state wanted me to sign something. They didn’t care I was twelve, only that someone signed. Cool. I signed a legal form that stated basically the following: “Hamsters are a voracious rodent. It is illegal to allow or to set a hamster free in the wild. Hamsters are a danger to grain crops and agriculture.” I had a lot more respect for Bonnie and Clyde after that. So mighty mouse gets free. These scientists gave him lots of muscles, but didn’t bother to correct his bone structure to support the added strength. Imagine what happens? No, can’t follow me yet eh. Sorry. You saw Jurasic Park, right. Or at least heard about it. The scientists there genetically engineered AND altered life forms. The life forms adapted to their surroundings and then Nature and Evolution took over. Fiction, I know, but a very real case scenario. Imagine what could happen to mighty mouse: He learns to mate with normal mice. Number one thought in any male species - procreation. Offspring have greater muscle capacity but don’t have the structure to support it. Five generations later, Nature has accelerated evolution to increase the bone structure to support the additional muscles. With the correct structure the mighty mice now can effectively use the additional muscle. They can move much faster, much quicker. They burn more energy. They need better control for the higher speeds. Five generations later, increased internal organs to handle processing of greater volumes of food for greater energy output. Five generations later, increased facial and dental capacity to handle consuming greater quantities of food. Five generations later, increased mental capacity to handle greater maneuvering speeds while foraging for food... Do you see where I’m headed? It’s really not that hard to imagine. Imagine Mighty Mouse. Imagine Thousands of them. Imagine Nature trying to compensate for something unintended. Imagine Killer Bees. Imagine Killer Mice.As Always - your comments and feed back are welcome. My thoughts to your thoughts. May the Palintar leave them undistorted. May I see you as you see me. Contact the AUTHOR S.S.Powell 97/05/06
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