Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Devil Dogs

When I first read this story, I launched into my best Keanu Reeves' impression and said, "Whoa."
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases.

The four dogs, all named "Ruppy" — a combination of the words "ruby" and "puppy" — look like typical beagles by daylight. But they glow red under ultraviolet light, and the dogs' nails and abdomens, which have thin skins, look red even to the naked eye.
While I love the idea of having a dog doubling as a night light, I'm not completely comfortable with a red dog, especially one that is only red in the dark. It seems more Stephen King than Clifford. Maybe if the dog glowed a soothing green or traditional white I wouldn't be so frightened.

But, if I go to a Korean restaurant and my beef BBQ has a reddish glimmer, I'll be sure to send it back.

1 comment:

Dirty Ert said...

Koreans and their relations with dogs are weird. I spent a year in Korea while in the Army. Yes, I did eat dog. No, it does not taste like chicken. Down the road from our base there were "dog farms." They raised dogs the same way we raise cattle. Strange people Koreans. If I were a dog; it would be the last country I would want to hoist a leg in.