Tiny Teats Produce Important Proteins

I am a softy for cute animals (pokemon FTW!) and when you think about it, it is borderline animal cruelty but if the proteins or enzymes can be used in medicines then I'm all for it.

I found this article from a 1947 Mechanix Illustrated about mice milking at Columbia University but their biggest problem was producing enough of it.

I'll take a glass of the bunny milk please.

At the risk of being branded a religious nut, I am going to go out on a limb and offer a Biblical reference (the earliest known historical reference of which I am aware) to genetic engineering, and the apparent approval of such processes by the God of Abraham (who indicated his approval, apparently, by instructing Jacob in the procedure). Genesis 30.37. Some may argue that the procedure differs significantly from current genetic engineering practices, but the result is the same- interfering with the natural reproductive process of a species to alter the outcome. And, if it is good enough to please the God of Abraham (who may have descended from the God of Zarathustra, and who has morphed into both the God of Christians and Jews and Allah), then it is good enough for me...

"God of Abraham (who may have descended from the God of Zarathustra, and who has morphed into both the God of Christians and Jews and Allah)"

Hi cwarner,

you are absolutely right, but I would put it into a slightly different order:

1.Zarathustra (known first monotheistic religion),

2.Abraham ? not known what was his religion, but very likely a mixture of these days brutal cults. Who would sacrifice their own children? Known from the Phoenicians, so very likely elsewhere nearby to Byblos and Tyros. Biblical tales are not likely to be correct on this.

3. Egypt's Echnaton

4. Israelites out of Egypt bringing monotheism to Sinai and Holy Land. "Moses" is an Egyptian name not an Israelitic one!

5. 1200 years later: Jesus

6. 600 years later: Mohamed

Irrespective if you believe or not: the name is not important.

The "laws" are very similar.

The "fundamentalists" will destroy everything including themselves.

The "paradise" is a fairy-tale.

A "Paradise" is a garden with nearly dry land around, with walls protected from grazing herds, with a spring and trees for fruit and shadow.

And the garden in "Eden" of the bible is resulting from Ed-Din, the steppe of early herders.

All this is the result of early nomadic life. But we have changed a bit our habits and living. Wait and see what happens.

RHABE

"Fat Tony!!! I said dog or higher!!!"

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.

Quote: Albert Einstein

To fear the unknown is to retreat in oblivion . . . grasping the understanding in all the minute detail is a special gift . . . to Fail to pursue knowledge and understanding is Failure of the worst kind.

Thus it becomes required. Mouse milk to venmous creatures of the sea . . . we must seek the unknown for it is not only the human kind that we seek to benefit but all of the creatures of our earth.

I'm all for experimentation for improved or new technology & health advances as long as ethical, humane and don't lead to the devaluation of respect for life. I can also understand how initially it may be difficult to "get our heads around" new and unusual sources that will be ingesting. You have to appreciate the courage (physically and psychologically) of the first one to drink cow's milk.

In reference to all of the many advantages cited in the past thread "using human breast milk", I believe we may have missed the most important one.....it comes in more attractive containers!

All humor aside, history indicates we need to be extremely cautious and fully understand any possible long term effects before implementing this or anything on a large scale. Regulatory control and trust is another issue best left to another thread. Science is usually pure.....government is often corrupt.

With nearly 7 billion people on the planet now, why do we try to fix the undesirable traits instead of letting them die out naturally.

It is what makes humans different from any other species on the planet. The way we think, act, our emotions... we are trained to move forward as a whole. It is not just the nature of humans to eliminate the weakest link of a chain because it is the weakest. Humans nature is figure out a way to make the link stronger so that we can all move forward.

Caring for these weaker links is a huge drain on society and we as a species would be better off spending our efforts advancing the best of us insead of helping the others keep up.

While I can't refute the scientific validity of your reply, I wonder if you would have the same perspective if you were one of the "others"?

The problem is not the drain on society, or of helping others keep up. It is about introducing and promoting genetics into the gene pool that, instead of being beneficial, are detrimental to future generations.

Left alone genetic changes either survive because they are found beneficial or pleasing or die out because they are not wanted or needed. By artificially manipulating genetics we are interfering with who knows how many generations of who knows what living organisms.

I have seen in the fields calves and lambs that won't stop nursing if allowed to do so.

There have been times where a full grown bull was seen nursing off its mother 3 or 4 generations after he was born.

The only way to stop them was to isolate them for the rest of their lives.

Most of these animals seem to have developmental problems and now that I think on it a little harder, maybe they were suffering from a deficiency of some sort that their instinct told them their mothers milk was the answer.

Our race has survived well enough without antibiotics, vaccination, or disinfectants.

Shall we decide that perhaps these technologies are going too far? Where do we set the stop line for our medical technology? Are you willing to accept the consequences for yourself or a loved one?