HUMAN ANIMAL
HYBRIDS: CAN WE
JUSTIFY THE
EXPERIMENTS?
Human-animal ‘chimeras’ could save lives, but
is it right to use them for their organs?REALITY CHECK ANALYSISWhat are the experiments?
Human-animal hybrids, also known as
‘chimeras’, are creatures with a mixture of human
and animal cells. They are created by injecting
human stem cells into the embryo of another
animal. So far, no human-animal hybrids
embryos have been brought to term (‘term’ means
full gestational period).
But now, biologist Dr Hiromitsu Nakauchi at the
University of Tokyo plans to bring mouse-humanbyA M Y B A R R E T T
Amyis editorialassistantatBBCScienceFocus. Shehasa
BAin publishingwithcreativewriting.DISCOVERMORE
a
For more stories like this, visit our website at
sciencefocus.com/realitycheck2 furry friend happily taking to a leash, then Bradshaw
has some advice.
Fi rst of f, to dissuade you r cat f rom t he hu nt,
check their food bowl. “The first thing to look at is
their cat food. Is your cat getting all the nutrition it
needs? If not, then you’re almost giving it an excuse
to go hunting.” Bradshaw explains. Otherwise if you
want a pet cat, but can’t put up with its murderous
tendencies, Bradshaw suggests getting a kitten who
has never been out, or a cat that’s always been kept
indoors. Bringing a cat inside who has previously
explored the Great Outdoors can have its challenges,
and their individual personalities will determine
how well they’ll adapt to life in captivity.
Is there anything then that owners can do to keep
Tiddles happy and healthy during the transition from
the great outdoors to the living room? Dr Lynn Bahr,
a feline vet in the United States, creates products and
toys that enrich the lives of indoor cats. Bahr says
that giving cats an opportunity to play is essential.
“Keepi ng t hem ac t ive, exercised menta l ly a nd
physically is extremely important,” Bahr stresses. “I
hide toys and treats around the house for my cats, so
they have to go and forage for them as they would
do in the wild.” Though she warns that life on the
inside poses a range of health risks for cats: obesity,
diabetes, depression, to name just a few. That isn’t to
say there aren’t dangers outdoors – car accidents, cat
fights, feline HIV, ticks and fleas all threaten to end
a pet’s life prematurely.
For those concerned about their pet’s happiness
and the state of nature, Bradshaw suggests looking
into the wildlife in the area and finding out if there
are vulnerable or endangered species nearby. If there
are, restrict your cat’s outdoor activity. “But making
habitats for wildlife – feeding birds, building log piles
at the bottom of your garden for mice – is actually
much better for nature than locking your cat away.”Visit the BBC’s Reality Check website
at bit.ly/reality_check_ or follow
them on Twitter @BBCRealityCheckREVIEW