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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4605202.stm




Taiwan breeds green-glowing pigs

By Chris Hogg
BBC News, Hong Kong


Scientists in Taiwan say they have bred three pigs that glow in the dark.
They claim that while other researchers have bred partly fluorescent pigs, theirs are the only pigs in the world which are green through and through.

The pigs are transgenic, created by adding genetic material from jellyfish into a normal pig embryo.

The researchers hope the pigs will boost the island's stem cell research, as well as helping with the study of human disease.

The researchers, from National Taiwan University's Department of Animal Science and Technology, say that although the pigs glow, they are otherwise no different from any others.

Taiwan is not claiming a world first. Others have bred partially fluorescent pigs before. But the researchers insist the three pigs they have produced are better.


They are the only ones that are green from the inside out. Even their heart and internal organs are green, they say.

To create them, DNA from jellyfish was added to about 265 pig embryos which were implanted in eight different pigs.

Four of the pigs became pregnant and three male piglets were born three months ago.

Green generation

In daylight the researchers say the pigs' eyes, teeth and trotters look green. Their skin has a greenish tinge.

In the dark, shine a blue light on them and they glow torch-light bright.

The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human disease. Because the pig's genetic material is green, it is easy to spot.

So if, for instance, some of its stem cells are injected into another animal, scientists can track how they develop without the need for a biopsy or invasive test.

But creating them has not been easy. Many of the altered embryos failed to develop.

The researchers say they hope the new, green pigs will mate with ordinary female pigs to create a new generation - much greater numbers of transgenic pigs for use in research.

If the pigs are green, how will we know when the bacon has gone off. I rely on it turning green in the fridge eventually...

It must be quite hard to find green piglets in long grass.

I would quite like a glow in the dark girlfriend.

Hmmmmm, did you notice the name of the author of the article? April 1st is still a ways off.

so... Will the new Suess book be green eggs and GREEN HAM?

And will Kermit the Frog have to share his "Its not easy being green" song with the piglets?

I agree. It seems like an awful strange coincidence that the last name is 'Hogg'...

Did you have a look at the link? This article was posted at the BBC News website.


About the journalist:

Chris Hogg is the BBC’s Hong Kong and Taiwan Correspondent.

After studying English and Related Literature at the University of York, Chris completed a Diploma in Postgraduate Journalism Studies at the University of Wales College of Cardiff (Cardiff Journalism School). His first job after graduating was with the BBC - he has worked for them for more than ten years covering stories at home and abroad for the corporation's TV, radio and online news services.

Starting off in local radio at BBC Radio Northampton, Chris then worked in local television in Norwich, before moving to London to help launch the BBC's domestic 24-hour news channel, News 24. He has also worked as a producer in the Social Affairs Unit, as a reporter on PM on Radio 4, and was then a health correspondent for two and a half years before moving to Asia in August 2003.

In the past year, Chris has covered the aftermath of the war in Iraq, including the capture of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad and the subsequent violence across the country. He covered the Taiwanese presidential election campaign, obtaining the first broadcast interview with President Chen Shui Bian after the disputed polls. He's also reported on the ethnic unrest and bird flu in Thailand, covered the AIDS conference and APEC summit there, as well as the political developments in Hong Kong.

Away from work, Chris likes to keep fit through playing squash, swimming and going to the gym. He enjoys the cinema and travels around the region whenever he can.

http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_clickpage.asp?pageid=2678

Does the journalist glow in the dark too?

Here is the same story at CBSNews:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/13/earlyshow/living/petplanet/main1206675.shtml


Here is the same story from the Discovery Channel:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20060109/greenpig_ani.html


Here is the same story from ABC News:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Health/story?id=1498324


Here is the same story from MSNBC:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10818583/


Here is the same story from Fox News:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181791,00.html