Last updated June 19, 2019 at 06:18 AM
In Greek mythology a chimera is an animal with the head and breast of a lion, the tail of a serpent and the belly of a goat. If the existence of this chimera is a legend, today they exist for specific reasons. Unusual fact: let's go and discover the chimeras that men have created and their reasons for being.
A chimera by definition is an organism having two or more varieties of cells of different genetic origins. [source: Larousse]. To begin, let's discover the Sudden Death Mosquito.
Contest: the top 9 ugliest animals in the world
In this section:
1 - Sudden death mosquito
THEcompany biotechnology Oxitec has created a genetically modified mosquito to fight against a virus that is all the rage in Asia and South America. This is the Dengue virus. These chimeras have a very limited lifespan and are programmed to attack their victims who may carry the virus.
Discovery of two giant viruses visible to the naked eye off the coast of Brazil
The Dengue virus appeared almost 200 years ago and existed in the benign form. After the Second World War, its deadliest form appeared, causing hemorrhagic fever. It has become the deadliest virus of any mosquito-borne virus worldwide.
Guide to all you need to know about computer viruses
Today, we do not yet know a cure for this disease. Fortunately, the Dengue virus was not transmitted from person to person but only from the Aedes aegypti mosquito to its victims, the solution would be to eliminate the source. Rather than let yourself be killed, why not kill yourself first? It is to this principle that the British company Oxitec responds by creating the "sudden death" mosquitoes. This mosquito is a genetically modified form of the Aedes aegypti type mosquitoes which are often carriers of the virus.
The operating method of the sudden death mosquito is quite unusual. They kill its victims by going to mate with the latter. Wild females will be killed with their young as well as wild males by developing genes that will be fatal to them. This method will greatly reduce the reproduction of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. The chimeras themselves have a very limited lifespan so will die naturally in a few days.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/
2-. Chimera fish: GloFish
Glofish is a chimera fish created from the zebrafish gene and proteins from a fluorescent jellyfish. This chimera was created in 1999 and patented in 2000 by Dr Zhiyuan Gong and his colleagues at the University of Singapore. This fish was intended to serve as an indicator of pollution. Glofish in contact with polluted water emits a red, orange and green glow in the dark depending on its breed and is also the first genetically modified animal available as a pet.
10 real facts you probably don't know about the marine world
The 16 famous mysteries that the world has forgotten they have been solved
3- Vacanti's mouse
This smile was created in 1995 by Dr. CharlesVacanti at the University of Massachusetts. This chimera is known to be the mouse on which a human ear grows. The truth is that this ear is made by transplanting the cells of cow cartilage into a biodegradable mold in the shape of an ear.
The objective was to prove that it is possible to transplant cartilage with a modified form in a human body. Experimentation is a great advance in the world of medicine. This would treat people who have lost their ears or part of their body by making them grow back on the victim.
We are witnessing what could become one of the alternatives to organ transplant methods.
The 12 strangest natural phenomena on our planet with video
"Sitting too much" would have irreversible consequences on the brain according to a study
4- Insects that shit oil
Researchers in the Silicone Valley have created an insect that feeds on the remains of agricultural produce. They have the particularity to evacuate oil as excrement.
Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com
16 little tips that are both unusual and useful
The funny videos that went around the web
5- A dog that doesn't pop
China in its project to develop a "clean" animal created the first transgenic dog that does not defecate. We love dogs for several reasons, including their pleasant company. The problem is, this mammal is not easy to maintain. You have to regularly remove their poop.
For this reason, the BGI (Beijing Genomics Institute) had the ingenious idea of creating a "clean" animal as part of the establishment of the genetic map of obesity. The result of this Chinese research institute is the creation of a dog that does not defecate.
This chimera is created by gene modification to create a closed cycle of digestion. The food consumed by this mammal is burned in the stomach by special enzymes intended for this purpose. Unfortunately he is still very far from marketing, because according to scientists, his farts smell too bad.
Source: http://www.scienceinfo.fr
10 real facts you probably don't know about the marine world
Doctor discovers air pocket in place of brain in patient's head
Footnotes of the author :
It should be known for each mammal created, there were several others who died in the experiments, either by birth defect or incompatible cells. Yet this is how a lot of drugs have been created, a lot of diseases have been studied and analyzed. Many epidemics have also been resolved by these procedures. Can we say that it is bad for good?
