REAL LIFE NEWS: CUSTOMISE YOUR PET’S FUR
by Hazed
Here’s news of a crazy start-up idea: AgGenetics says it can use genetic engineering to change the coats of animals, leading to customisable fur.
The start-up from Nashville, Tennessee aims to use genetic engineering to create a heat-tolerant version of cattle. Angus cows have coats that are black or dark red, but if their coats were white instead they could thrive in the hot tropics.
So far, so sensible. But then the company’s founder, James West, realised that turning the whole coat a different colour wasn’t all he could do. He could actually “paint” different hair colour onto animals. As proof, he has bred brown mice covered with black squares, dots and straight lines.
The possibilities are intriguing. You could design a pattern you wanted to have on a pet’s fur, even have your name printed on your dog’s back. Or commercial animals could be genetically imprinted with a barcode.
AgGenetics has filed a patent for its customisable animal colour system. We will have to wait and see just what they do with it.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601448/paint-on-gmos-could-create-cattle-dogs-with-custom-fur/
