Defiance of Science » rats http://www.defianceofscience.com Discussing and Defying New and Interesting Advancements in Science Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:46:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Scientists force paralyzed rats to dance! http://www.defianceofscience.com/tech/scientists-force-paralyzed-rats-to-dance/ http://www.defianceofscience.com/tech/scientists-force-paralyzed-rats-to-dance/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:46:47 +0000 Glucid http://www.defianceofscience.com/?p=197 After delicately severing a rats spinal chord, Grégoire Courtine, from the University of Zurich, led his team in experiments to allow those same rats the ability to run, walk, step sideways and jog using a mixture of drugs and electrical stimulation. These animals despite being severely pissed off, could support their entire body weight. The procedure however, does not allow for voluntary movement. As a result they were unable to gnaw their horrible autonomous limbs off or the ridiculous vest the scientists made them wear.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TycMNRUmuY

I believe this brings us one step closer to re-enacting the Michael Jackson Thriller video using real corpses! Or at least developing remote control people.

[Source]

]]> http://www.defianceofscience.com/tech/scientists-force-paralyzed-rats-to-dance/feed/ 1 If only I could hook the gravy into my veins… http://www.defianceofscience.com/health/if-only-i-could-hook-the-gravy-into-my-veins/ http://www.defianceofscience.com/health/if-only-i-could-hook-the-gravy-into-my-veins/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:38:23 +0000 Glucid http://www.defianceofscience.com/?p=165 2937820990_60abf4db58

Ever run into a rat willing to turn tricks for easy money or who would sell its own mother’s wheelchair for an easy fix. That fix… is potato chips. You know your fat when… you start stealing and pawning your elderly neighbours commemorative spoon collection to buy cheetoh’s.

Junk food elicits addictive behavior in rats similar to the behaviors of rats addicted to heroin, a new study finds. Pleasure centers in the brains of rats addicted to high-fat, high-calorie diets became less responsive as the binging wore on, making the rats consume more and more food. The results, presented October 20 at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting, may help explain the changes in the brain that lead people to overeat.

The rats were apparently exhibiting the core features of addiction after exposure to junk-food. Just goes to show that apparently you really can’t have just one.

[source]

]]> http://www.defianceofscience.com/health/if-only-i-could-hook-the-gravy-into-my-veins/feed/ 2