--- In SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com, "Andrew Priest" <apriest_at_n...>
wrote:
> It's a nice thought, isn't it? That but with some human DNA and
some skunk
> DNA you could do the magic mixing thing and make a living version
of the
> trio. I do, however, fear it wouldn't work that way. If the
scientists feel
> that the result of such a crude fusion of human and animal DNA is an
> abomination, well, I'd not be surprised if it was. Even if be some
lucky
> chance you ended up with a viable organism, what would you have
achieved if
> you produced some freakish thing that barely ekes out some months of
> horrible existence before finally succumbing to the inevitable
conclusion; a
> miserable death to end a pitiable life? Perhaps is might be so bad,
but
> we're tinkering where we have no idea. Furries as depicted would,
at best,
> have to be the product of an absolute knowledge of DNA and genetic
> manipulation. They would have to be the result of precise designing
from the
> ground up.
True, even with the knowledge, skill, and resources, one simply
cannot throw human and animal DNA together and hope for the best. It
would be like trying to make bread by just throwing the ingredients
together and simply turning on the oven and hoping for the best. One
has to add a certain amount of each ingredient and have it in the
oven for a certain length of time on a certain heat setting. The
exact same thing also applies to genetic engineering, various bits of
each DNA would have to be figured out and fused together to give it
harmony. While the animal DNA can be compromised, the human DNA might
not be, particularily if the animal has more chromosones than humans
(humans have 46 chromosones). Meaning that if the animal was a wolf-
or dog-with their 78 chromosones, 32 chromosones might have to be
chopped off from their DNA. Now if the animal has fewer chromosones
than humans, then no compromising need be in order. I think. I'll
finishing of by saying that cats have 38 chromosones.
-Brandon Payne
P.S. the more chromosones an organism has, the more genetic variety
that arises from it.
Received on Fri Aug 08 2003 - 06:18:26 CDT