wildcat2030: The King is dead — long live the genetically-engineered mouse version of the King. As a pop comeback, it’s certainly among the more unusual. Royal College of Art graduate student Koby Barhad’s project All That I Am features genetically-engineered mice with DNA taken from the hair of Elvis Presley. The aim is to explore a range of philosophical and ethical issues. While it may sound far-fetched, it really only required taking advantage of three online services which anyone can use. First, eBay, where a sample of Elvis’ hair was bought for the the princely sum of $22 (£14.21). Then, Barhad contacted two companies offering genetic services online — Genetrack Biolabs, who sequenced the DNA from the hair sample, and inGenious Targeting Laboratory, who produce transgenic cloned mice with specifically tailored genetics to order. The result is what Barhad calls an “Elvis mouse model” — a mouse with the genetic makeup of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. (via Artist genetically engineers mice with the DNA of Elvis Presley (Wired UK)) Speculative design intended to force discussion and reflection on the use of human genes.

wildcat2030:

The King is dead — long live the genetically-engineered mouse version of the King. As a pop comeback, it’s certainly among the more unusual. Royal College of Art graduate student Koby Barhad’s project All That I Am features genetically-engineered mice with DNA taken from the hair of Elvis Presley. The aim is to explore a range of philosophical and ethical issues. While it may sound far-fetched, it really only required taking advantage of three online services which anyone can use. First, eBay, where a sample of Elvis’ hair was bought for the the princely sum of $22 (£14.21). Then, Barhad contacted two companies offering genetic services online — Genetrack Biolabs, who sequenced the DNA from the hair sample, and inGenious Targeting Laboratory, who produce transgenic cloned mice with specifically tailored genetics to order. The result is what Barhad calls an “Elvis mouse model” — a mouse with the genetic makeup of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. (via Artist genetically engineers mice with the DNA of Elvis Presley (Wired UK))

Speculative design intended to force discussion and reflection on the use of human genes.

13 July 2012 118 wildcat2030
koby barhadelvis hairmicegenetic tinkeringspeculative design

Notes

  1. postmoderndrip reblogged this from stoweboyd
  2. jessette20 reblogged this from pyrrhiccomedy
  3. peacocksandpearls reblogged this from pyrrhiccomedy
  4. avantshard reblogged this from slavin
  5. sassy--shelby reblogged this from thenoobyorker
  6. grundrisselabruja reblogged this from thenoobyorker
  7. purrsikat reblogged this from slavin
  8. jendrak reblogged this from wildcat2030
  9. hairybottle reblogged this from wildcat2030
  10. slavin reblogged this from varanine
  11. thejavaman reblogged this from thenoobyorker
  12. silveryshadow reblogged this from pyrrhiccomedy
  13. modembored reblogged this from a-beautiful-fight
  14. a-beautiful-fight reblogged this from thenoobyorker
  15. varanine reblogged this from stoweboyd
  16. almaswithinalmas reblogged this from thenoobyorker and added:
    Looks like I’m going to have to edit my currently non-existent will to state that if I were to ever become ridiculously...
  17. imall4frogs reblogged this from thenoobyorker
  18. adefectiveidealist reblogged this from thenoobyorker and added:
    Now some of you may object to this on certain grounds but you know what… WHO CARES? GO F*CK YOURSELF. M*THAF*CKING FKN...
  19. regalisreliquiae reblogged this from wildcat2030

← Previous Post Next Post →

About

Web anthropologist, futurist, author. My focus is the future, and the tectonic forces pushing business, media, and society into an unclear and accelerating future. (More.)

Working on longer format projects, Sign up for the newsletter.

GigaOM Research analyst and curator.



Also writing beaconstreets.com.

Contact me. or ask me a question.



My Vizify profile.

Socialogy

  • Brian Solis | Brian and I debunk big data, and Brian makes the case for empathy.

  • Deb Lavoy | Deb is dubious about management's inclinations, and says, 'Just because you are networked doesn’t mean it necessarily helps you understand, or realize your needs more effectively.'

  • John Hagel | John offers up some great insights, like the fact that passion is lower the larger that businesses get.

  • Euan Semple | A chat with my old pal, and the author of Organizations Don't Tweet, People Do

  • Will McInnes | The author of Culture Shock and managing director of Nixon/McInnes

  • Jennifer Magnolfi | An interview with the woman who said, 'Work is not a place you go, it's a thing you do'.

    • Hot Now

  • What Drives Us? | A draft chapter of my book, discussing motivations, Maslow's hierarchy, and fluidarity.

  • Socialogy: Interview With John Hagel | I Speak with Joh Hagel about the innovation at the edge.

  • Complex organisation arises from webs of interaction among causal factors | So, it turns out that DNA is, in fact, a great metaphor for business culture, but only after you realize that DNA is not a few hundred off-on switches, but instead a universe of unknowable complexities, that we can interact with, and understand at some abstract cartoonish level, but not control, and never fully comprehend.

  • Bitcoin May Be the Global Economy’s Last Safe Haven | Paul Ford

  • Innovators Get Better With Age | Companies make a mistake by relying too much on the innoations of the young, because Nobel laureats don't come into their prime until their 50s.

    • Oldie

  • Infodemics | 2009 | Passing incomplete or inaccurate information about some risk event can make people take actions that increase the damage of the event itself.

    • Lynx theme created by Andrew Stichbury for Tumblr.