Tag Archives: mouse

Mouse ‘Doula’ Aids Pregnant Friend in Childbirth

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Adult mice employed their paws and mouths to assist newborns stuck in the birth canal of pregnant females.

Violet J. Ivan/New York University Grossman School of Medicine

Mice have been observed aiding pregnant females during difficult births, particularly among seasoned mothers. This represents a significant discovery as it marks the first documented instance of such behavior in non-primate animals, broadening our understanding of caregiving behaviors across species.

While humans are recognized as the only animals that consistently assist each other during childbirth due to the challenging nature of the process—characterized by larger-than-average infant head sizes navigating a narrow birth canal—other primates, like black-nosed monkeys and bonobos, have shown instances of mutual aid during births, albeit rarely.

Research conducted by Robert Froemke and colleagues at NYU Langone Health in New York City stumbled upon this behavior while studying the brain activity of mouse subjects during birthing events for a different purpose. They noticed that fellow mice in the cage seemed to assist the birthing mice during their delivery processes.

To delve deeper, scientists genetically modified pregnant mice to lack receptors for oxytocin, a hormone that triggers uterine contractions essential for childbirth. Without these contractions, the mother mouse might struggle to move and face fatal consequences. Consequently, survival for both the mother and her pups becomes more precarious.

In a structured experiment, 10 modified mice were caged individually and each paired with a previously birthing female. A separate group of seven pregnant mice without oxytocin receptors were isolated in their cages.

During delivery, when the modified pregnant mouse could not move, the experienced female stepped in. “She acts like a mini midwife, using her mouth and paws to carefully extract the pups,” shared Dr. Froemke at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego, California. The assisting mouse even broke open the sac surrounding the young, ensuring they could breathe.

A remarkable nine out of ten pregnant mice paired with these midwives successfully birthed, with approximately 90 percent of their pups surviving. By contrast, only one from the isolated group succeeded in giving birth, with all pups not surviving. “Mammals are social creatures, and the primary reason is due to mutual assistance during such vulnerable moments,” Froemke noted. “Even rats experience challenges during childbirth and rearing; their social structures provide support, reflecting traits akin to humans.”

To investigate if the presence of experienced mice was crucial, researchers placed 14 pregnant mice, lacking oxytocin receptors, in a different environment. Seven were coupled with male mice, while four were with females untouched by childbirth and three with females lacking oxytocin receptors. In addition to their role in uterine contractions, these receptors are known to be critical for social interactions.

Assistance from other mice significantly enhanced survival rates

Violet J. Ivan/New York University Grossman School of Medicine

Results revealed that nearly 60 percent of pregnant mice paired with male companions and half of those with non-mother females endured the birthing process. Notably, these non-mother mice did not assist in pulling the pups out; instead, the male mouse mounted the female, exerting pressure to facilitate the birth, while the non-mother female groomed and applied belly pressure similarly. Differences in approaches among groups remain unclear. Of the group with non-oxytocin receptor females, merely one mouse survived.

The pups did not survive due to the unbroken fluid-filled sacs, indicating the necessity for maternal experience for successful outcomes. “I essentially play the midwife role,” Froemke remarked.

The findings bolster the notion that caregiving behaviors may be more prevalent in the animal kingdom than previously acknowledged. For instance, research has shown that rats are capable of administering first aid to their unconscious peers. These new findings suggest that the birthing and nurturing of offspring are pivotal elements shaping animal social dynamics and relationships, according to Froemke.

“Parental care stands as one of the most significant social interactions,” says Bianca Jones Marlin from Columbia University, underscoring the necessity of support during these critical moments.

Froemke speculates that similar midwife-like behaviors might occur among wild rodents and other animals. “Childbirth represents one of the most vulnerable periods in an animal’s life,” he observes. “Due to their need to evade predators, many animals exhibit concealment behaviors, explaining why field researchers see such assistance less frequently in species outside of humans.”

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  • pregnancy and childbirth/
  • animal behavior

Source: www.newscientist.com

What Message Is the Humble House Mouse Trying to Convey?

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Feedback is New Scientist Popular Sideways reviews the latest in science and technology news. You can send emails to Feedback@newscientist.com with items that might intrigue our readers.

What is the squeal?

The experience of mouse squeaks is sadly limited to the dead (or sometimes almost alive) ones that our cats insist on bringing into the house. This means that you’ve likely heard a significant portion of the creak.

So, I was taken aback to learn that the squeaking sounds of mice have been largely overlooked by science. Reporter Alex Wilkins has reviewed recent studies and confirms that it is true, as detailed in Biology Letters, with an article titled “Hidden in Plain Sound: The Scientific Possibility of House Mouse Squeak.”

The focus on house mouse vocalizations tends to be on ultrasound sounds that humans cannot perceive. They gained attention, perhaps due to their novelty and surprise factor. Meanwhile, the authors note that the unnoticed squeaks lead to a “lack of research focused on squeaks.”

This is clearly an oversight. The authors argue that squeaks possess “significant scientific potential.” They suggest that “the extent to which squeaks communicate information about the vocalizers and influence listener behavior across various social contexts has not yet been fully explored.”

The feedback suspects that squeaks are a highly effective form of communication. After reading Terry Pratchett, I recall that the ominous character known as the death of the rat can convey much with a well-timed squeak. Perhaps you need a catchphrase: What do you want? Squeak. When do you want it? Squeak!

Determining the penalty

In a somewhat roundabout way, nominal determinism might have relevance here.

Paul Meara points out that a recent feature on body clocks (August 2, p 30) highlighted Angela Leregio, a researcher at MSH Medical School in Hamburg, Germany, who also runs a company called Timemeter.

Unfortunately, the feedback doesn’t speak Portuguese; otherwise, as Paul noted, you would know that “Relógio” translates to “clock.”

Furthermore, feedback recognizes that there have been decades of research into a protein called amyloid related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Thus, we were particularly surprised to discover that the University of Dundee in the UK has an expert on Alzheimer’s named Amy Lloyd.

Tough like a nail

On September 18, the most prestigious awards in the science calendar were presented at the IG Nobel ceremony, known for its whimsical and eccentric research. As the event’s creator stated, “The results are so remarkable that they make people laugh, then think.”

Feedback did not attend the event; however, you can watch the entire show online.

Out of various awards, we were particularly intrigued by the Literary Award, presented to teachers and clinicians William Bennett Bean (1909-1989) for “permanently recording and analyzing the growth rate of one fingernail over 35 years.”

His research began with a simple 1953 study, titled “Notes on Nail Growth,” where Bean shared “observations made over the past decade.”

His work peaked in the 1980s and continued with several similar studies, including “Nail Growth: Observation Over 35 Years,” published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Feedback has reviewed this detailed paper.

Bean described his research as “a comprehensive record of the growth of human deciduous tissues,” providing a slowly moving keratin cymograph that measures the age of unfortunate absissas.

What were the findings? Bean’s initial discovery revealed that different nails grow at different rates, which remained consistent over time.

“In simple terms, toenails grow more slowly than fingernails, while the middle fingernails grow faster compared to the thumb, pinky, or any of the other middle fingernails. By measuring one nail, the growth rate can be inferred for all.”

However, certain factors can cause noticeable delays in nail growth. For instance, Bean experienced a mumps infection in 1950, which resulted in a “decisive slowdown,” but he noted a compensatory speedup afterward. Ultimately, he identified a gradual long-term slowdown. “For example, the average daily growth of the left thumbnail dropped from 0.123 mm per day when he was 32 to 0.095 mm per day at 67.”

Our only question is whether Bean was deserving of an IG Nobel for his notably lengthy research.

Other awards included studies on “the extent to which certain lizards prefer specific types of pizza,” “what a nursing baby experiences when the mother eats garlic,” and “whether cows painted with zebra stripes can avoid being bitten by flies.”

Feedback especially appreciates the Chemistry Award, which investigated whether consuming foods rich in indigestible Teflon results in fewer calories. Rat experiments suggested a successful and non-toxic outcome; nonetheless, we advise readers not to attempt this at home.

To play it safe, you might just consider sprinkling powdered nails and adding too much food on top.

Have you shared feedback?

If you have stories to share, please email feedback@newscientist.com, including your home address. This week’s and past feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Drag X Drive Review: Wheelchair Basketball in Wrist Convulsion Mouse Mode | Gaming Insights

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wA new console has hit the market, and it typically comes with at least one first-party title designed to highlight its innovative features. The PlayStation 5 showcases Astro’s Playroom, the Steam Deck has Aperture Desk Job, and the Nintendo Switch 2 boasts Drag X Drive. In this game, you will engage in competitive wheelchair basketball using Joy-Con 2’s new mouse mode (where you control the gameplay by sliding the joystick across a desk like a computer mouse). While it offers a solid demonstration of controller enhancements, Drag X Drive capitalizes on the high-energy nature of real sports and introduces a shallow spoofing element.

As a basketball game, Drag X Drive has you spending the majority of your time shooting hoops and dashing around the court. You can press the trigger to lift the wheels for a jump, raise each Joy-Con and flick to shoot, or pass the ball to teammates.




The thrill of joy… Drag X Drive. Photo: Nintendo

While this practical approach seems appealing, it isn’t as intuitive as one might hope, and ironically, accessibility is limited. Finding a comfortable position while pushing and rolling your palm is tricky, necessitating effort to truly grasp the control scheme. However, once you push through the initial difficulties, there’s an uncommon thrill in nailing a shot or assisting a teammate.

The Player Styles menu offers several additional gameplay options, enabling you to switch between different presets based on your playstyle. You can adopt a balanced forward style, evenly distributing rebound, strength, and speed skills, or choose a guard style that prioritizes speed at the cost of other stats. The ability to shift styles enhances the rocky onboarding experience and revitalizes gameplay in online multiplayer matches, a crucial aspect of the game.

At face value, Drag X Drive captures the essence of vehicle-based football games like Rocket League, where two teams compete by scoring points through trick shots and collisions. Yet, while Rocket League features vibrant arenas and dynamic graphics, Drag X Drive opts for a more restrained, atmospheric environment marked by its cold metallic aesthetic. The character customization menu allows you to change the colors of your wheels and chairs or select quirky accessories like cat ears and vintage driving goggles, but it lacks the warmth and whimsical charm typical of Nintendo.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Hku89o38-hQ?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Drag X Drive – Nintendo Direct | Nintendo Switch 2" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

There’s an adrenaline rush, even amidst the challenges of managing character control and potential wrist fatigue, especially as your success hinges on your real-world stamina and players can easily pursue you. There’s a genuine sense of achievement when you nail a long-distance shot or execute clever assists. As you build confidence, you can start to exploit the halfpipes around the court, performing tricks to earn bonus points. A simple shot can transform into an impressive slam dunk, giving you a real sense of professionalism.


Throughout the basketball match, you’ll encounter some repetitive side activities, including jump rope mini-games, shooting contests, and obstacle courses. Excelling in these challenges and performing well in matches allows you to earn trophies, unlocking more cosmetics and enhancing your avatar’s aesthetic.

Despite some efforts to incorporate meta progression, the significant shortcomings of Drag X Drive become apparent over time. The gameplay can be cumbersome for extended sessions. While the mouse controls are theoretically intriguing and feel innovative during shorter matches, they start to falter in a fast-paced context. What remains are surprisingly inaccessible sports mechanics, lacking versatility and long-term engagement. Fans hoping for a spiritual successor to Nintendo’s earlier Rock ’em Sock ’em Brawler will likely be left disappointed.

Drag X Drive is currently available for £16.99

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Mouse with Two Dads Welcomes Its First Offspring

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Adult male mouse with two fathers and possessing their own offspring

Yang Chang Wei

For the first time, male mice with two fathers have successfully produced offspring. This significant advancement paves the way for the possibility of two men having a genetically related child, although there are still numerous obstacles to overcome before this could be realized in people.

Yang Chang Wei in Shanghai, China, achieved this by merging two sperm cells with eggs stripped of their nucleus. The research team also reprogrammed seven areas of sperm DNA through a process called epigenome editing to facilitate embryo development.

Out of 259 embryos transferred to female mice, only two male offspring survived and grew, highlighting the low success rates. After mating with a female, both offspring were found to be descendants of the father, exhibiting normal size, weight, and appearance.

Generating a mouse with two fathers has proven far more challenging than producing one with two mothers. The initial report of a viable mouse with two mothers, named Kaguya, surfaced in 2004.

While Kaguya was genetically modified, Wei and his team successfully created similar paternalless mice in 2022 utilizing only epigenome editing without altering DNA sequences. This method was also instrumental in developing motherless mice.

The birth of mammals with two fathers or mothers is notably significant due to the concept of imprinting, which occurs as most animals possess two sets of chromosomes.

During the formation of eggs and sperm, chemical markers are applied to these chromosomes, activating certain genes while deactivating others. These alterations are termed “epigenetic” because they do not modify the actual DNA sequence, yet they can influence gene expression during cell division.

Crucially, the epigenetic programming of mothers differs from that of fathers; genes marked “active” in sperm may be marked “inactive” in eggs, and vice versa.

This discrepancy means that if an egg contains two sets of paternal chromosomes or maternal chromosomes, it will struggle to develop correctly. A gene that should be turned on in one chromosome could become overactive if only one copy of both is present or if both copies are included.

In Kaguya’s scenario, researchers managed this issue by removing some genes, normalizing overall gene activity. However, creating a mouse with two fathers necessitates additional alterations.

Earlier this year, a different team from China managed to produce mice with two fathers after implementing 20 genetic modifications to standardize gene activity, but these mice exhibited neither full health nor fertility.

Although modifying gene activity through genetic alterations aids in researching imprinting in laboratory animals, it remains unpalatable for human application, especially considering the unknown implications of genetic modifications.

For their epigenetic approach, Wei and his team employed modified versions of the CRISPR protein, typically utilized for gene editing. These modified proteins, like standard CRISPR versions, are designed to locate specific sites in the genome. When these sites are identified, the modified proteins can add or remove epigenetic labels without altering the DNA itself.

This research marks a significant breakthrough. Helen O’Neill, University College London, stated, “We confirm that genome imprinting is the primary barrier to mammalian reproduction overnight and demonstrate that it can be surpassed.”

Since this technique does not involve direct genetic modification, it may, in theory, allow same-sex couples to have genetically related children. However, a considerably higher success rate is necessary before such a method can be deemed acceptable for human use. “While this study on producing offspring from same-sex parents is encouraging, it is unlikely to translate to humans due to the vast number of eggs required, the large pool of surrogate women necessary, and the low success rate,” explained Christoph Galichet from the Sainsbury Welcome Centre in the UK.

The low success rate can be attributed to various factors. Firstly, merging the two sperm cells resulted in some embryos containing two Y chromosomes, leading to underdevelopment. Additionally, for effective epigenome editing, all seven targeted sites in the embryo must be successfully modified, and there might have been off-target effects in some instances.

It’s plausible that animal success rates and health could be enhanced by modifying more than seven sites; however, these modifications likely wouldn’t be applicable to human use, considering the differing sites that require changes in humans compared to mice.

If a human baby were to be conceived using this method, the mitochondria within the cell—containing a small amount of DNA—would originate from the egg donor, essentially making it three contributing genetic sources.

In 2023, a Japanese team reported the birth of a mouse puppy with two fathers through a distinct method involving the conversion of mouse stem cells into eggs. However, it remains uncertain whether the puppies thrived into adulthood, and no successful attempts have yet been made to transform human stem cells into eggs.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Researchers create detailed map of neural connections in mouse brain

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The human brain is so complex that the scientific brain has a hard time understanding it. Nerve tissue, the size of a grain of sand, could be packed with hundreds of thousands of cells connected by miles of wiring. In 1979, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Francis Crick concluded that the anatomy and activity of only a cubic millimeter of brain material would forever surpass our understanding.

“It’s useless to seek the impossible,” says Dr. Crick. I wrote it.

46 years later, a team of over 100 scientists achieved that impossible by recording cell activity and mapping the structure of cubic millimeters of the mouse brain. In achieving this feat, they accumulated 1.6 petabytes of data. This is equivalent to 22 years of non-stop high-resolution video.

“This is a milestone,” said Davi Bock, a neuroscientist at the University of Vermont. the studywas published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Dr. Bock said that it enabled advances that allowed it to cover the cubic bones of the cubic brain to map the entire brain wiring of a mouse.

“It’s completely doable and I think it’s worth doing,” he said.

Over 130 years It has passed since Spanish neuroscientist Santiago Ramon y Kajal first spies on individual neurons under a microscope, creating a unique branching shape. Scientists from subsequent generations have resolved many of the details about how neurons send voltage spikes into long arms called axons. Each axon makes contact with small branches or dendrites of adjacent neurons. Some neurons excite their neighbors and fire their own voltage spikes. Some quiet other neurons.

Human thinking emerges in some way from this combination of excitation and inhibition. But how this happens remains a ridiculous mystery as scientists could only study a small number of neurons at a time.

Over the past few decades, technological advances have allowed scientists to begin mapping the whole brain. 1986, British researcher Published A small worm circuit made up of 302 neurons. The researchers then charted larger brains, including 140,000 neurons in the fly’s brain.

After all, is Dr. Crick’s impossible dream possible? The US government began in 2016 100 million dollar effort Scan cubic millimeters of mouse brain. The project was called Cortical Network (or Mechanical Intelligence from Microns) and was led by scientists from the Allen Institute of Brain Science, Princeton University, and Baylor School of Medicine.

Researchers have zeroed into part of the mouse’s brain, which receives signals from the eyes and reconstructs what the animal is seeing. In the first phase of the study, the team recorded the neuronal activity in that area as they showed mouse videos of different landscapes.

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Source: www.nytimes.com

Lab Mouse witnessed him cheering for his unconscious companion

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In a new laboratory experiment, scientists at the University of Southern California showed that when mice encountered a social partner familiar with the unconscious state caused by anesthesia, they escalated to powerful behaviors such as biting or pulling their partner’s mouth and tongue, showing clear and consistent behavior.

Mice have their own “first aid” practices to help other mice in need. Image credits: Sun et al. , doi: 10.1126/science.adq2677.

“There are many factors that determine mammals’ empathy and social bonds,” says Professor Li Zhang, a researcher at the University of Southern California.

“However, this is the first time this study has seen first responder-like behavior in mice.”

New research shows that mice tend to help other mice they know to be unconscious.

Their responses range from mild sniffing and grooming to more powerful actions such as mouth and tongue biting, and eventually escalates to pulling the tongue out of the unconscious mouse.

“The behavior was particularly unique because it was similar to how humans behave in emergency responses. Dr. Wenzian Sang, PhD of the University of Southern California, said:

Interestingly, scientists were first witnessed rehabilitation behavior in mice paired together in an unrelated study.

When humans encounter unconscious individuals, emergency response changes, such as assessing the situation, checking for responsiveness, seeking help and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the individual.

The urgent “helper mice” target the unconscious companion’s mouth and tongue appears to improve their companion’s airways and lead to faster recovery,” said Huizhong Tao, professor at the University of Southern California.

“We learned in this study that tongue pulling between mice cannot be interpreted as an offensive gesture.”

“Social behavior in this study was significantly more pronounced among familiar mouse pairs, and was rarely seen when one of the paired mice was simply sleeping or active.”

“And also, after the unconscious mice regained consciousness, they regularly used their tongues.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dzd4dpvio

In this study, the authors utilized advanced neuroimaging and optogenetics to investigate the neural mechanisms behind social behavior in helper mice.

“One of the most interesting aspects of our neurologic observations was the discovery of the activation of oxytocin neuropeptides,” Professor Chan said.

“Oxytocin is widely known as a hormone that plays an important role in social bonds.”

“Oxytocin is sometimes called love hormone because it is linked to trust, bonding and affection.”

“This was the first study showing that oxytocin is an important factor in social ties in mice.”

“Our findings not only enhance our understanding of animal behavior, they also highlight the important role of the oxytocin system.

result It will be displayed in the journal Science.

____

Wenjian Sang et al. 2025. Prosocial behaviors like resurrection in response to the unconscious or dead homologue of rodents. Science 387 (6736); doi:10.1126/science.adq2677

Source: www.sci.news

The authenticity of “Wool Mammoth Mouse” poses a significant ethical dilemma

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Colossal Biosciences, a US biotech startup, has announced the birth of what is called the “wool mouse.”

The company says gorgeous hair rodents are living evidence that their mission to restore wool mammoths from extinction within a few years is progressing.

To make mice, scientists have introduced eight simultaneous editing into the genome of experimental mice using modern genetic techniques. These include the addition of genes that make fur grow up to three times longer than usual, as well as other genes that make hair wavy and golden.

Other editing targets target genes associated with fat metabolism, which are thought to help increase mammoth size.

Mice are the result of years of hard work by scientists to reconstruct important parts of the mammoth genome. The last wool mammoth is believed to have died about 3,000 years ago, and scientists are stitching together mammoth DNA, which has been decomposed from relics that range from 35 to 1.2 million years ago.

This is the first time that some of the important genes identified throughout the study have been expressed in living animals.

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Mammoth 2.0

Colossal's ambitious long-term plan is to add many of these mammoth genes to modern elephant embryos to create a mammoth-like hybrid.

Despite claiming to be revived wool mammoth, the original Mammuthus Primigeniuswith all the original genetic complexity and population diversity, it has not been brought back to life. Creatures are more accurately referred to as “cold-resistant elephants.”

Scientists designed a “wool mouse” with the mammoth gene, giving it a very long, wavy golden fur. – Photo Credit: Colossal Biosciences

The Mammoth's return was repeated by various groups and dates back to 2011. The group is generally privately funded, and the exact details of their work are rather opaque.

However, these lifestyle, breathing, and rather cute wool mice show that scientists have made impressive advances in reconstructing some of the key genes that have made mammoths unique. Colossal's Chief Scientist Dr. Beth Shapiro The mouse says it is a “critical step in examining an approach to revive the properties lost to extinction.”

A huge task

There's still a lot to do before you see mammoth-like creatures crossing the tundra or walking through the zoo.

Initially, it is much easier to create gene-edited mice than elephants. Mice have been a staple of genetic experiments for decades and can be quickly raised in a huge number.

Elephants, on the other hand, are rarely used in laboratory experiments, and live mammals happen to have longer gestation periods of over 18 months.

Colossal has made impressive advances by manipulating elephant cells into stem cells.

However, even if Colossal could create a viable elephant mammoth embryo, it would not be able to be used as a large number of surrogates, if any, because both Asian and African elephants are at risk of extinction.

This means that Colossal must develop its own artificial uterus to develop experimental embryos until birth. This has never been done before. Such a system should not only replicate all the complexity of the placenta, but also support calves that are as heavy as Asian elephant calves, exceeding at least 100 kg (220 lbs).

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/03/Colossal-mammoth-mice-clip.mp4
Two “wool mice” created by scientists

But perhaps the biggest question remaining is simply, why? Colossal says other similar tasks to revive mammoths and revive dodos and tylacine will lead to biotechnology that will help save other species from environmental changes.

The company claims to stimulate interest and investment so that they can't do anything else, starting with these iconic extinct creatures.

Certainly, the project has attracted a lot of media attention and has attracted more than $200 million (£157 million) of investments that probably wouldn't have made it to a traditional conservation project.

And there are already examples of the technology being used to support species facing extinction today. For example, in Australia, gene editing is used to provide resistance to the poison of cane toads, an invasive species that kill many animals in the region (adorable, endangered marsupials).

In the US, scientists used similar biotechnology to increase the genetic diversity of ferrets with black feet, but it had dipped to a population size that was essentially involved.

More broadly, Colossal's research could help scientists produce eggs, sperm and embryos of a variety of endangered species, including Asian and African elephants, which help to increase numbers.

We can ask questions

But do these lofty ambitions justify? Jurassic Park– Blatant use of genetic engineering? Many people are particularly intelligent social animals like elephants, and feel uneasy about corrections, not to mention a complete overhaul of the genome.

And what is the life of the first artificial wool elephant like? Where do they live and are they introduced to herds and families?

Are they healthy or tired of genetic problems? And shouldn't we focus our efforts on saving habitats and ecosystems, not individual species?

Giant wool mouse showing the properties of an extinct wool mammoth – Photo credit: Giant bioscience

In recent years, genetic engineering has gained greater acceptance among the public, and is generally considered an important way to produce new drugs and disease-resistant crops.

Does the creation of a large, shaggy elephant make people feel that biotechnology is going too far? Or, as a huge hope, will it serve as an inspiring symbol of how technology can save thousands of species that are at risk of extinction each year?

This is a question that biologists, ethicists and biotechnology regulators need to carefully consider the work of scaling up from mice to mammoths.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Mouse providing first aid to unconscious companions

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Mouse tends to become an unconscious peer by pulling its tongue

Wenjian Sun et al. 2025

When they unconsciously find another mouse, it appears that some mice are trying to revive their companions by stepping into them and biting them and pulling their tongues aside to clean their airways. This finding suggests that caregiving behavior may be more common in animal kingdoms than we thought.

There have been rare reports of large social mammals trying to help such types of incapacitated members. Wild chimpanzee touching and licking injured companion, Dolphins who try to push their suffering podmates into the surface can breathe and Elephants provide support to sick relatives.

now, Lee Chang The University of Southern California (USC) and his colleagues filmed what happened when they introduced a familiar cagemate who was active or anesthetized and unresponsive to a laboratory mouse.

In a series of tests, on average, animals spent about 47% of the 13-minute observation window to interact with their unconscious partners, showing three different behaviors.

“They start with sniffing, then grooming, and very intensive or physical interactions,” says Zhang. “They really open their mouths and pull out their tongues.”

These more physical interactions included licking the eyes and chewing on the area of the mouth. After focusing on the mouth, the mice pulled the tongue of their unresponsive partner in more than 50% of cases.

In another test, the researchers gently placed a non-toxic plastic ball in the mouth of an unconscious mouse. In 80% of cases, the support mouse successfully removed the object.

“If you extend the observation window, your success rate can be even higher,” says team members. Huizhong Taoeven at USC.

The awakened mouse began walking again earlier than it was unharmed for the mouse. Then, as their responsibility moved and responded, the caregiver’s mouse slowed down and stopped the caregiving behavior.

Additionally, caregiver mice spent more time when they were familiar with unconscious mice than they had previously met.

Restoration behavior is not an analog of CPR that requires specialized training, Zhang says. It’s like awakening someone using a strong smelly salt or slapping, or doing basic first aid so that the unconscious person can breathe. It is also important during surgery to place the tongue of anesthetized patients to prevent airway blockage, he says.

Zhang and his colleagues found that behavior is driven by oxytocin-releasing neurons in the amygdala and hypothalamic regions of the brain. The hormone oxytocin is involved in other compassionate behaviors in a wide range of vertebrate species.

Similar behavior has been reported in lab mice Along with research papers Also explained by another team By the third team last month.

“I have never observed these types of behavior when I run experiments in the lab, but have never left a recovery animal with my partner until I have fully awakened.” Christina Marquez at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Coimbra, Portugal. “The fact that three independent labs observe similar behaviors indicates that this is a robust finding, but we are observing what we observe in nonhuman species; We really need to be aware that we personify too many things that result from intentions that go beyond what is observed.”

Zhang and his colleagues believe that the behavior is innate, not learned. This is because all animals tested were only 2-3 months old and never saw this behavior or anesthetized cage companions.

He suggests that such instinctive behavior plays a role in strengthening group cohesion and may be more widespread among social animals than we have seen.

It may be difficult to see this behavior in wild mice, says Marquez. “Mouses are often prey animals that do not live in large groups, so they usually hide very well from us. However [the fact] That we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean they don’t do it. ”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Main Biological Breakthrough: Two Fathers and a Mouse

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In a groundbreaking scientific achievement, a mouse with two male parents has successfully reached adulthood.

Researchers utilized embryo stem cell engineering to accomplish this milestone by accurately correcting an important gene involved in reproduction. Double-headed mouse.

This innovative method has allowed scientists to overcome previously insurmountable barriers in reproducing single-identified mammals.

In previous experiments, using two male mice resulted in genetic issues during fertilization, leading to severe congenital defects and early termination of mouse embryo development.

However, the researchers of this new study suspected that these genetic issues were caused by “imprinted” genes, which are inherited from both male and female parents.

“The unique characteristics of imprinted genes have led scientists to believe they are the fundamental barriers to mammal reproduction,” said Research co-author Professor Qi Zhou.

“Even in the artificial creation of a two-cell embryo or double-headed embryo, they were unable to develop properly and stalled at a certain point due to these genes.”

Based on this theory, researchers altered 20 important imprinted genes using various methods before implanting the modified embryos into surrogate mothers.

Their findings revealed that these genetic edits not only allowed for the creation of double-headed mice but also enabled them to survive to adulthood.

“These discoveries offer compelling evidence that imprinted abnormalities are the primary barriers in mammals,” said co-author Professor Guan Zan Ruo from SUN YAT-SEN University.

“This approach greatly advances the manipulation of embryo stem cells and cloned animals, paving the way for progress in regenerative medicine.”

However, researchers noted that only 11.8% of surviving embryos successfully developed to birth, and some did not survive to adulthood due to developmental disorders.

In fact, most of the adult mice displayed abnormal growth and lifespan, and the surviving mice were infertile.

The team is actively working to address these issues by investigating whether altering a specific gene can improve embryo development. They also plan to extend their research to include larger animals like monkeys, though the use of this technology in humans remains uncertain.

Read more:

  • Y chromosome has disappeared. Is this the end of man?
  • Mice display emotions on their faces like humans
  • Male mice transformed into females using previously considered “junk” DNA.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Dye used to visualize mouse organs by making them transparent

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The yellow food coloring tartrazine changes the speed at which light passes through tissue.

University of Texas at Dallas

Massaging common food coloring into the skin of a live mouse makes the animal’s tissue transparent, allowing researchers to see its blood vessels and organs working — a technique that may one day help doctors peer deeper into our bodies to diagnose diseases.

It’s not easy to see the internal environment of a live animal. If the animal is dead, we can get a better look by sectioning the tissue or using chemicals to remove proteins and fats. In live animals, some things can be seen with a scan or endoscopy, but to see live tissue, you often have to cut it up.

now, Wu Zhihao Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have been able to make mouse tissue transparent by rubbing the skin of live mice with the food dye tartrazine, also known as E102 or Yellow 5. When the skin absorbs the dye molecules, it changes the tissue’s refractive index – the speed at which light passes through the skin.

The dye allowed visualization of organs in living mice.

Zhihao Ou et al. 2024

The mice then became transparent, enabling the researchers to watch peristalsis, the muscular contractions that move food through the digestive tract, and to view blood vessels on the surface of the mouse brain.

To understand how this technology works, Oh says, think of carbonated water. Light passing through the liquid changes direction each time it goes from the water to the air bubbles and back again, Oh says. That means the light scatters in all directions and doesn’t penetrate the liquid as easily as it does flat air or water. Biological tissue behaves in a similar way because it contains not only a lot of water, but also other molecules like lipids and proteins, which typically have a higher refractive index than water.

Adding the dye brings the refractive index of water closer to that of lipids and other molecules in the tissue, scattering light less, “which means you can see deeper and probe deeper,” Ou says.

The dye can be washed off and does not appear to harm the rats.

The study gets to the heart of one of the biggest problems in microscopy, Christopher Rowlands “If you tried to see more than a millimetre away from the surface of the tissue, you couldn’t. It wasn’t possible before, and now all of a sudden you can,” he says. “Before you could only see a millimetre, now you can see a centimetre away, and that centimetre makes a huge difference in many applications.”

Rowlands says that tartrazine could potentially be toxic in large amounts if applied to the skin, but neurobiologists routinely stick probes and lenses into the brain and remove parts of the cortex, so using a dye that’s widely accepted as safe for ingestion on the skin would probably be less harmful, he says.

But while the technique makes skin more transparent, it won’t give doctors complete visibility inside a person’s body. “It’s not like Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak,” Rowlands says. “It will make the skin look more glassy than it should.” Even if the effect were to happen throughout the body, Rowlands says, doctors would still be able to see bones and specialized structures inside cells called organelles.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Reveals your proximity to the mouse right now

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This longstanding claim has been circulating for over a century, but its origins remain a mystery. Experts unanimously debunk this myth as completely untrue, unless you happen to reside in a sewer system.

One of the challenges is the limited knowledge about the secretive behaviors and populations of rats.

According to the 2018 Natural England report, Britain’s rat population is estimated to be 7 million, while the British Pest Control Association suggests it could be as high as 120 million.

Regardless of the exact numbers, rats in the UK are not evenly distributed. Certain regions, like parts of the Scottish Highlands, have no rat presence at all, and encountering a rat in the middle of the English countryside is rare unless you’re near a barn.

Rats are seen as symbiotic creatures, living in close proximity to humans and feeding off their resources. Even in urban settings like London, the true rat population remains a mystery.

In 2012, Dave Cowan, head of the wildlife program at the Food and Environmental Research Agency, stated in the BBC that around 3.5 million rats inhabit British cities.

However, some pest control experts, albeit biased, claim that London alone harbors 20 million rats.

To put this into perspective, if the 20 million rats were evenly spread across London’s 1,572km2 area, each rat would cover 78.6 million square feet. This would suggest that you are likely within 5 meters of a rat at any given time.

With a more conservative estimate of 3 million rats, the nearest one would be approximately 13 meters away.

Dispelling a popular belief, a 2023 study revealed that there are actually fewer than 3 million rats in New York City, roughly equating to one rat for every three residents. Read more here.

Rats tend to congregate where food sources are plentiful, such as near trash bins, eateries, and markets, as well as in less traversed areas like sewers, abandoned structures, and construction sites.

They typically stay at ground level and within 200 meters of their birthplace, making it relatively feasible to avoid encountering them in certain areas.

This article addresses the question posed by Esther Lamb of Worthing: “Is it true that you are always within 6 feet of a rat?”

If you have any inquiries, please reach out to us via email at: questions@sciencefocus.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (be sure to include your name and location).

Explore more:

  • From dreams to life-saving scents: 13 rat-related facts based on science
  • Search and rescue rats trained to locate earthquake victims amidst debris
  • Skin cell alterations enable blind mice to regain sight

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

AI is able to detect the position of a mouse by analyzing its brain activity

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Micrograph of a cross-section of a mouse brain highlighting neural pathways (green)

Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute/Scientific Photo Library

By analyzing a mouse’s brain activity, scientists can tell where the animal is and the exact direction the mouse is looking. With further research, the findings could one day help robots navigate autonomously.

The mammalian brain uses two main types of neurons for navigation. “Head direction cells” indicate where the animal is facing, and “grid cells” help provide her two-dimensional brain map of where the animal is located.

To learn more about the firing of these neurons, Vasilios Marlas and colleagues at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, worked with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to analyze data from previous studies.

In this experiment, probes were inserted into the brains of several mice. They then combined data about their neural firing patterns with video footage showing their position and head position as they moved around their open environment.

Because of this, Marlas and his colleagues developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can figure out where the mouse is looking and where it is.

In practice, it’s similar to the drop pins and directional arrows on your smartphone’s map app, except instead of connecting to GPS satellites, scientists analyze the subjects’ brain activity.

“This method eliminates the reliance on updating GPS coordinates based on preloaded maps, satellite data, etc.,” Marulas says. “In a sense, the algorithm ‘thinks’ and perceives space in the same way as a mammalian brain.”

AI could eventually allow intelligent systems to move autonomously, he says. “In other words, we are taking advantage of the way the mammalian brain processes data and incorporating it into the architecture of our algorithms.”

Adam Hines Researchers from Australia’s Queensland University of Technology say the smartphone app analogy is helpful. “The location information (drop pin) and the direction (blue arrow) match, and during navigation, as he moves, the two pieces of information are constantly updated. Grid cells are like GPS, heading cells are It’s like a compass.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk states that Neuralink implant patients can control computer mouse with their thoughts

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The first human patient implanted with Neuralink’s brain chip appears to have made a full recovery and is now able to use his thoughts to control a computer mouse, according to Neuralink founder Elon Musk, who shared the news late Monday.

“Things are going well, the patient appears to have made a full recovery, and there are no adverse effects that we are aware of. The patient can move the mouse on the screen just by thinking,” Musk said on the social media platform during the X Spaces event.


Musk said Neuralink is currently trying to get as many mouse button clicks from patients as possible. Neuralink did not immediately respond to a request for further details.

The company successfully implanted the chip in its first human patient last month after receiving approval to recruit for a clinical trial in September.

The study will use robots to surgically place brain-computer interface implants in areas of the brain that control locomotion intentions, Neuralink said, with the initial goal of helping people use their thoughts to interact with computers. He added that the idea was to be able to control the cursor and keyboard.

Musk has grand ambitions for Neuralink, saying it will facilitate rapid surgical insertion of chip devices to treat conditions such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.

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Neuralink, valued at about $5 billion last year, has faced repeated calls for scrutiny over its safety protocols. The company was fined for violating U.S. Department of Transportation regulations regarding the movement of hazardous materials.

Source: www.theguardian.com