Chinese Scientist Work to Help Improve Cable News Network
Chinese scientists have implanted human brain genes into monkeys in an attempt to boost their development and provide insights into the unique evolution of human intelligence. Analysis of the monkeys' behavior and physiology showed they developed in a more human-like fashion, with better short-term memory and a faster reaction time compared to a control group. The genome of rhesus monkeys differs from ours by a few percent. That's millions of individual DNA bases differing between humans and monkeys. Researchers inserted human versions of MCPH1, a gene that scientists believe plays a role in the development of the human brain, into 11 rhesus monkeys. "Our findings demonstrated that transgenic nonhuman primates (excluding ape species) have the potential to provide important -- and potentially unique -- insights into basic questions of what actually makes human unique," the authors wrote.
The monkeys underwent memory tests requiring them to remember colours and shapes on a screen, and were subjected to MRI scans. The authors said the rhesus monkey, though genetically closer to humans than rodents, is still distant enough to alleviate ethical concerns. However, some questioned the ethics of the experiment.
