Re: LIFESCIENCE: gene change social behaviors

[PROFRICHAR@aol.com]

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ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL 99
LIFESCIENCE
Linz, Austria, September 04 - 09
http://www.aec.at/lifescience
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In einer eMail vom 21.08.99 16:34:03 MEZ, schreiben Sie:

<< Thema:    LIFESCIENCE: gene change social behaviors
 Datum: 21.08.99 16:34:03 MEZ
 From:  k.landa@newport.ac.uk (Kepa Landa)
 Sender:    owner-lifescience-en@aec.at
 Reply-to:  lifescience@aec.at
 To:    lifescience@aec.at
 
hi to kepa landa, melinda, lubica, eugene, lorenzo, speer (still there, no 
postings for a long time?)


 BBC News
 Wednesday, August 18, 1999 Published at 17:43 GMT 18:43 UK
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_424000/424076.stm
 
 Geneticists make faithful mice
 
 The prairie vole gene made the mice more faithful

more is the important word

 Scientists have transformed promiscuous male mice into more faithful
 partners and doting dads by inserting a single gene from a prairie vole.

what to do with this kind of scientific research? is there anything important 
on the horizon for mankind ? for women? it is just a spectacular project for 
funding new projects it seems to me?
i do not see any benefit
 
 It is the first time that one gene has proven
 sufficient to change complex social behaviors so
 dramatically, the US researchers believe.

that is not true other reports about that research say that there are only 
sligth changes in behaviour through this transgene infiltration and the 
social net was more important even for the male mice
 
 "But it takes a lot of time to move from animal research into humans," Young
 warned. "And in human cultures we may find that experience and values have a
 lot more to do with behaviour."
 
 By contrast, the male mice used normally abandon the female immediately
 after mating and have no role in raising their offspring.
 
as for future human application: male scientists would never a chance to cut 
out male promiscuity (if something like that exists)

this is also denying the socially formed roles and puts is only to the genes: 
male beings are not able to control because it is in their genes.
this is the same with genes for homosexuality and stuff like that


 But by transferring a gene from the voles to the mice, the male mice became
 much more sociable to their mates, although occasional "extra-marital" 
affairs
 did still occur.

 
regards to all still on the list
birgit richard
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