This was once again demonstrated on the front page of my newspaper, the Indy, which boldly proclaimed: "Abandoned! Are Britain's pets the latest victims of the credit crunch?":
Quote:
Britain's economic woes are forcing people to abandon animals in unprecedented numbers as desperate families struggle to cut costs by dumping their pets. Animal sanctuaries say they have been overwhelmed by the number of animals delivered to them in recent months as the credit crunch continues to bite and the cost of living rises sharply. They fear that the situation could become unmanageable if the downturn continues.
This, erm, tragedy, I guess, is apparently worthy of being front page news. The impending war between Georgia and Russia, the earthquake in China, the Burmese flooding, the whole civil war in Lebanon, nah, fUck this, some puppies might die!
Which doesn't matter anyway, since we can always revive them through DNA fragments! Grab your machetes, load up your sub-machine guns, or simply empty that extra lead in a nearby river, we can always make some more!
Quote:
In an echo of the film Jurassic Park, DNA from an extinct animal has been re-activated in the laboratory for the first time.
Scientists took genetic material from the Tasmanian tiger – officially declared extinct 70 years ago – and inserted it into mouse embryos where it played a role in developing cartilage and future bone.
Dr Andrew Pask, from the University of Melbourne in Australia, who led the research, said: "This is the first time that DNA from an extinct species has been used to induce a functional response in another living organism. As more and more species of animals become extinct, we are continuing to lose critical knowledge of gene function and their potential."
Scientists took genetic material from the Tasmanian tiger – officially declared extinct 70 years ago – and inserted it into mouse embryos where it played a role in developing cartilage and future bone.
Dr Andrew Pask, from the University of Melbourne in Australia, who led the research, said: "This is the first time that DNA from an extinct species has been used to induce a functional response in another living organism. As more and more species of animals become extinct, we are continuing to lose critical knowledge of gene function and their potential."
Finally, for those of you who prefer people to animals, here's an insightful little piece on what's going in Lebanon at the moment, by one of my favourite journalists ever, Robert Fisk.
