98% chimpanzee, the cuteness

Marks, Jonathan. What is Means to be 98% Chimpanzee: Apes, People, and Their Genes. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.

Because of the similarity of human genes to ape genes, Jonathan Marks, a well-known molecular anthropologist, assesses a number of issues in his book, including human genetic science, racism, animal rights and cloning. In Chapter 8, titled "Human Rights...For Ape?" he expresses his take on the idea of human rights for the great apes, or the aim of The Great Ape Project.

Marks thinks that there are two facts that are crucial to this idea. First is "apes aren't human." Second is "we can't even guarantee human rights to humans." He asserts that the fundamental basis of the idea is the apes' genetic similarity to humans. But the category "human" is always determined by "reproductive compatibility and ecological niche"and never genetic similarity. Furthermore, the idea of equal rights are usually granted to "citizens," and who can be considered as a citizen is determined by political reasons. Thus, asking people to accept the new notion that genetic distance should decide the appropriation of rights can be difficult.

The author also mentions an important question, "are apes merely disabled people?" Many people have apes to small children or mentally disabled humans because they have resembling cognitive perfomance. Marks disapproves the belief that because we give human rights to children, to the metally disabled, the autistics, the deaf, the dumb, etc, we should also give rights to apes, whose state of being human can be recognized through the same reasoning and communicating skills. He stresses that humans have human rights by merely being born human, automatically receiving citizenship. Losing the ability to reason or to communicate does not cause the person to lose his humaness and rights. Apes, on the other hand, are nonhuman. He states that "human rights should neither be forfeitable nor accessible by nonhumans. That is not to say that other beings should have no rights; it is merely to say that the phrase 'human rights' has no meaning if it does not apply to all humans and only to humans." (191)
In general, Marks believes that apes should have protection or even rights, just not human rights.

So, the question is should the human-animal hybrids have human rights? Applying Marks ideas, even animals that are 98% similar to humans cannot be granted human rights, how can it possible fo some one with say 60% human genes to be granted.

Personally, I do not have an extremely strong opinion on this issue and think both sides are reasonable. Then I realize it might be because of the fact that I am always thinking about the cute animals.

-------------------------------
Considering the cuteness, Marks declares that the ape-conservation activists and animal-rights activists use apes as a starting point to try to liberate all animals because apes are among the cutest animals.

Marks has wrote on page 185:
"Apes are often objectified by callous and cynical entrepreneurs, who neither regard them nor treat them as the sentient, emotionally complex creatures they are.They are generally disposed of when whey lose their cuteness, usually less than one-fifth of the way through their lives. The lucky ones can live out their lives in the care of an enlightened or sympathetic zoo or primate research facility with sensitive caretakers and handlers. Most, of course are not lucky."

I believe this can be true for all kinds of animals, and in my case, all hybrids. They are more likely to be accepted at a younger age because of their appearances.

compositing - the olympics

Composting Ruru in an image of the Olympic games can illustrate the hybrid's role in society. She will most likely to ace some of the athletic games. But, should she be allowed to compete in the Olympics?

I haven’t found any official rules of the Olympic games, not even on the official Olympic's website. Other sources are also unclear but at least nothing mentions about the requirement of alternating both feet in a race.

According to the record of International Association of Athletics Federation:

100 Meters
Human record:
Male - 9.74s, +1.7 wind, Asfa Powell, Jamaican, September 9^th, 2007.
Female -10.49s, 0.0, Florence Griffith Joyner, United States, July 16, 1988.

Kangaroo record: can speed up to 44 mph or 71kph in case of an emergency although only for a few hundred yards, perfect for sprints = 5.084s

Long Jump
Human record:
Male - 8.95 meters or 29-4½ feet, Mike Powell, USA, Tokyo on Aug 30, 1991
Female - 7.52 meters, Galina Chistyakova, URS, Leningrad, June, 11, 1988

Kangaroo record: 12.8 meters or 42 feet.

High Jump
Human record:
Male - 2.45 meters/8 feet, Javier Sotomayor, Cuban, July 23, 1993
Female - 2.09 meters/6.85 feet, Stefka Kostadinova, Bulgarian, August 30, 1987

Kangaroo record: 3.10 meters or 10.17 feet

Hurdling:

In sprint hurdle races for men or 110m, regardless of the length of the race, the first hurdle is 13.72 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 9.14 m.
In sprint hurdle races for women or 100m, the first hurdle is 13 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 8.5m.
Hurdle height is 42 inches (1.07m) for men and 33 inches (.84 m) for women.

Human record:
Male - 12.88s, Liu Xiang, China, 2004
Female - 12.21s, Yordanka Donkova, BUL, Stara Zagora, Aug, 20, 1988

In long hurdle events or 400m, whether for men or women, the first hurdle is 45 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 35 m.
Hurdle height is 36 inches (.914 m) and 30 inches (.762 m) for women.

Human record:
Male - 46.78s, Kevin Young, USA, Barcelona, Aug 06, 1992
Female - 52.34s, Yuliya Pechenkina, RUS, Tula, Aug 08, 2003>

ruru~

Looking at a red kangaroo, the most unique aspects are the strong muscular legs and the pouch. The body shape is also very interesting. Doing research on the growth of a joey, I've decided to start off with a baby kangaroo-human hybrid.

Imagine taking a kangaroo embryo, and injecting the nucleus with human cells. What will the embryo grow into after a year? It takes a kangaroo 40 days in the womb and 150 days in the pouch to develop into a somewhat recognizable form. It takes a human being, 270 days in the womb and a few year to develop into a stronger body structure, I picked a number in the middle.

Body structure:
1. First thing I focused on is the legs. They Kangaroo trait: strong muscular legs, with big tendons, long lower legs, bones are structured with bent knees in the relaxing position. Feet and toes resembles more of a kangaroo's. Muscle structure is also more kangaroo like: dense and takes up half the body weight. Ears are large, and flaps because they are not strong enough to stay upright. Hearing are very sensitive. No fur developed yet. Pouch visible, unsure of functionality yet.
2. Human traits: hands and arms shape more like humans.

Feeding:
Mouth and teeth are more like human. The digestive systems are more like human.

Respiratory System:
Lungs are structured like a kangaroo.

Locomotion:
Cannot walk or hop with stability yet. Seems both are capable. Not yet demonstrate ability to walk backwards.

Communication:
In the process of learning English.

Sensory system:
very good hearing


60% Kangaroo and 40% human.

kangaroos

I am switching to an animal that has a more similar body structure to human's. A kangaroo is a warm-blooded mammal and a tetrapod.
There are about 63 different species of kangaroos.
I am focusing on the Red kangaroo or Macropus rufus. They are one of the largest species of kangroos.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
SubPhylum Gnathostomata
Class Mammalia
SubClass Marsupialia
Order Diprotodontia
Family Macropodidae
Genus Macropus
Species rufus

Body Plan/ Sensory System:

I made this diagram to illustrate the basic body parts of a red kangaroo.

Respiration and circulatory system

Through lung, but have special way of breathing to save energy when they hop.
1. When its feet push off from the ground, air is pumped out of the lungs.
2. As its legs stretch forward, the lungs expand and fill.
Chest muscles are not needed to move air in and out.

Feeding

- They eat only plants, mainly grass and constantly are eating every waking moment.
- Teeth and jaws are designed to make them eating machines.
- Lower jaw is two bones joined by a flexible band that lets the two halves move separately – gap between the two teeth.

- They have replacement teeth – when their molars wear out, the molars in the back slide forward into space. They produce about 16 molars during their life time.

Process:

1. The lower jaw spread making room for a bigger mouthful.
2. Upper and lower teeth snip plants like scissors.
3. Tongue pushes the plants into wads
4. Jaws slide side to side, grinding plants with ridged molars.
5. After swallowing, first part of digestive system only holds the food. One wad at a time is coughed up and chewed more.

***Locomotion

- Comfortable cruising speed is 16 mph – 2 hops per second, each about 12 feet (4m) long.
- when searching for food: 12 mph - taking 5 to 6.5 foot leaps
- Top speed 44 mph in an emergency, for a few hundred yards
- Can jump up to 10 feet high
- Swimming kangaroo kicks its hind legs alternately.
- Walking on all fives-A typical kangaroo is unable to walk, only possible when they are fight, for a few seconds. At slow speeds it uses its tail to form a tripod with its two relatively small forelimbs. It then swings its heavy hind legs forward together. This called “crawl-walking.”
This is a how a kangaroo crawl- walk:

- Hop: Tendon, acts like a rubber band, attaches to muscles, muscles move bones.


Kangaroo resting = human crouches body bent at knees and the hip.


Kangaroo is always ready to hop.

1. To launch, muscles pull on the leg bones and straightening them. Tendons stretched stores energy.
2. Tendons contracts, throws the kangaroo in air and forward without the use of any other energy
3. Legs swings forward automatically
4. Tendons are stretched again when landing.

Reproduction

Marsupials

Females are always pregnant after they are 2 years old with a normal birth interval of 8 months. She usually have babies in 3 different stages, one in her womb, one in her pouch, and one at her side.

Embryo grows inside womb, leaves after 30 to 40 days.

Blind, hairless joey, barely size of a bean, crawl through mother’s fur for a distance of 6 to 7 inches (15 or 20 cm), a time of 2 to 3 minutes into the pouch. Well developed nostrils and forelimbs. Lungs are developed enough to breath in air during the climb. Eyes, ears, hind limbs and tail are undeveloped. Skeleton is completly cartilagenous.

Sucking on nipple, joey gets all the nutrients needed to grow from mother's milk. Mother sometimes pokes her head inside the pouch to lick up the waste.

Joey first releases the nipple voluntarily around 70 days. Eyes open around 130 days. This joeys is 105 days.

First protrudes its head from the pouch around 150 days.
Leaves the pouch for the first time by falling out when time is ready, usually after 190 days. This only lasts few minutes at a time. The joey goes back into the pouch and stays there for another few months.
At around 8 months old, the mother forbids the joey from entering the pouch again.
At 1 year old, a red kangaroo is fully weaned.
At 18 months, the young kangaroo is almost fully grown.
At around 2 1/2 years, he or she is ready to mate.

Images are from Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Kangaroos. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1999.

Communication

Sounds are used.
Mothers make clicking or clucking noises to call their joeys to them.
Thumping of feet to warn others of danger
Smell: how they make friends

Other information
-Color: Males are reddish brown. Females are blue-gray to brown.
-Size: 4 to 7 feet tall with tails up to 3 meters.
-Weight: Adult males 150, females 80.
-Life span: 20 years old, 6 to 8 in the wild.
-Kangaroos live in 2 to 30 members groups called mobs.
-1 dominant male that fathers all the joeys in the mob.

Bibilography:

Domico, Terry. Kangaroos: The Marvelous Mob. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1993.

Jango-Cohen, Judith. Kangaroos. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006.

Landtier, Patricia and Lehne, Judith Logan. The Wonders of Kangaroos. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2001.

Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Kangaroos. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1999.

Penny, Malcolm. Secret World of Kangaroos. Austin: Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers, 2002.

Spilsbury, Richard and Louise. A Mob Kangaroos. Chicago: Heinemann Library,2004.

Stone, Tanya Lee. Wild Wild World: Kangaroos. San Diego: Blackbirch Press, 2003.

why elephants have big ears

Lavers, Chris. Why Elephants Have Big Ears: Understanding patterns of Life on Earth. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.

In Chris Lavers’ book, he answers many questions of the natural world by explaining basic biology and theories of evolution with abundant interesting examples. The title asks a thought-provoking question that becomes a great starting point to explore the reason why do animals look like what they are.

At this point, I have only finished the first 2 chapters and have attained enough useful information to start thinking about designing my characters through the most anatomically logical approach. Some aspects are:

Larger the animal = larger the volume

Larger the animal = larger the surface area

But, increase in volume > increase in surface area

1. Size/weight of body vs. thickness and structure of legs

2. Structure of legs vs. need (to run)

3. Size/weight of head vs. thickness and length of neck

4. Size/weight of body vs. amount of heat generated within animals: Larger the animal more heat is generated.

5. Warm blooded animals: size/weight of body vs. rate at which cells produce heat – larger the animal slower the rate, but not enough to balance temperature

6. Size/weight of body vs. surface area for heat to escape, smaller the animal, heat faster heat escapes

7. Size/weight of body vs. amount of fur- larger the animal, more heat generated and less fur needed

8. Size/weight of body vs. rate of heart beat – smaller the animal, faster the heart beats

9. Size/weight of body vs. relative size of heart – smaller the animal, larger the heart-size relatively

10. Size/weight of body vs. relative amount of food consumption – smaller the animal, more food consumption relatively

Summary:

Large animals grew thick legs and thick necks to hold the large body and head against gravity. Because they are large in volume, more heat is generated, surpassing the amount of heat that can escape through the surface area. Thus, they have other alternatives to balance their body temperature. Their cells produce heat at a slower rate. They have either less or no fur at all. They need to consume less food.

Small animals like gazelles developed thin legs and strong, light muscles to run away from their predators. Their hind legs have the same effect of a permanent sprinter’s crouch. Small animals like shrews have small bodies but relatively large surface areas for heat to escape. Thus, they need to maintain their body temperature by consume much more food, have faster heart beat, and have a larger heart in proportion to increase blood flow through their entire body.

questions to answer

Jurd, Richard. D. Animal Biology. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2004.

There are at least 33 phyla of animals. These 3 are the most interesting ones:
Phylum Mollusca: have soft, unsegmented bodies that are usually, but not always, enclosed in hard shells.
Ex: whelks, snails, slugs, clams, mussels, oysters, squids, octopuses

Phylum Arthropoda: have external skeletons as well as jointed bodies and limbs.
Ex: shrimps, lobsters, crabs, woodlice, insects, scorpions, spiders, centipedes, etc

**Phylum Chordata: have elongated bilaterally symmetrical bodies.
Ex: sea-squirts, salps, lancelets, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals.
- focusing mainly on the sub-phylum Craniata or Vertebrata.

Every hybrid need to answer the following questions:
1. What body parts does he have? --- Body Plan
2. How does he breathe and how is his heart structured? ---Respiration and circulatory system
3. How does he eat? --- Feeding
4. How does he move? ---Locomotion
5. How does he reproduce? ---Reproduction
6. How does he communicate? ---Communication
7. How much can he think? ---Intelligence
8. How does he recognize the surrounding environment? ---Sensory system

seahorse rough rough design

Becuase my method of character design begins with injecting human cells into a seahorse embryo, my original specimen has to be specific. Thus, instead of focusing on seahorses in general, I focused on Hippocampus Abdominalis, or pot-bellied seahorses.






These are very very rough sketches, just ideas that i have came up with, mainly just testing.
I tried working on the head first, then to the body. I actully like the idea of growing 2 tails to use as legs.

thesis proposal

Here is the thesis proposal document.

seahorse

There are 37 known species of seahorses. They are in the Family of Syngnathidae and Genus of Hippocampus.

General Description:
The have a horse-like head, monkey-like tail, and kangaroo-like pouch. In fact, even their eyes can be likened to those of a chameleon in that they move independently of each other and in all directions. Instead of scales, seahorses have thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates that are visible as rings around the trunk. Some species also have spines, bony bumps, or skin filaments protruding from these bony rings. A group of spines on the top of the head is referred to as the coronet, and looks like a crown. Seahorses are masters of camouflage, changing colour and growing skin filaments to blend in with their surroundings. Short-term colour changes may also occur during courtship displays and daily greetings. Male and female seahorses can be told apart by the presence of a brood pouch on the male.

Functions of Body Parts:
-1 Dorsal fins: moves fish forward, using the propulsive force of the quickly oscillating dorsal fins
-1 tiny anal fin: balance
-2 tiny pectoral fins on either side of the bod: control turning, steering, and stability
-coronet: is nearly as distinctive as a human thumbprint, shape are useful in separating species.
-1 tail: hold on to objects such as seagrass
-2 eyes: binocular vision, eyes of seahorses can move independently
-strong external plates: hard bony armour, which are arranged into a series of 'rings'. These rings help to protect the body of the fish, but result in the fish having only limited flexibility of the body. the number of trunk and tail rings doesn't vary much among individuals of a species, but does differ between species, so it is a handy character for telling species apart.
-ability to change color: change color and grow skin filaments to blend in with their surroundings for protection

Living Habits
eating: Three movements:
1.a rapid upward movement of the head,
2. a lowering of the floor of the mouth to make it bigger,
3. opening of the mouth.
All three occur almost simultaneously, resulting in prey being sucked in through the mouth and up the long tube-like snout. Often an animal too large for the seahorse's mouth, such as a small fish, may be ripped apart by the strong suction. Soft pieces are ingested, as the more solid parts are discarded.

diet: shrimps, crabs, and crayfish, fish fry, and other small invertebrates. Each day a seahorse can consume up to 3,000 brine shrimp.

Habitats: Seahorses are usually found in water less than 65 feet deep, but have been trawled from depths approaching 500 feet. Some may be found among seagrasses or eelgrasses, or among mangrove forests, corals, or on sea fan gorgonians.

They are more adapted to maneuverability than speed, cannot swim fast due to lack of tail fin.

low adult mobility and small home ranges

Most species of seahorse studied in the wild do appear to be monogamous, remaining faithful to one partner for the duration of the breeding season and perhaps even over several seasons.

Lifespan: from about one year in the smallest species to an average of three to five years for the larger species.

Male carries the baby. A brood may number from an average of about 300 to as many as 700 offspring. Gestation varies with temperature, but averages around 28 days.

More active during daytime

http://www.divegallery.com/seahorse_page1.htm
jeff’s nudibranch Site and coral reef gallery

http://www.seahorse.org/

http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/
project seahorse

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/seahorse/basics.html
nova online

background story finalized

Time: 2032
Location: Earth
Humans now share their world with human-animal hybrids. Due to overpopulation and drastic decrease in living habitat, the World Organization have decided to finally allow the creation of human-animal hybrids because genetic engineering is the fastest growing field of technology and has reached a far more advanced level than any other forms of technology. Now these hybrids have spread out around the world, occupying every corner of earth where original humans cannot reside. They have created their own communities and have acted as tourists when visiting the original human urban areas.

As for why do I think human-animal hybrids will be allowed to created eventually, I believe humans need to somehow display our technological advancements and we will not hesitate to temper with nature. For example, AIDS was released into the world because a road had to be built through a secluded area in Africa. Currently, human-animal hybrid embryos are created for research purposes only and have to be destroyed after 14 days. Maybe some mad scientist might already stole some samples and started breeding them in his basment. Hey, you never know.

2 final issues

My goal is to select an issue raised by animal-human hybrids and create a story around it.
I've narrowed downed my choices to the issues of playing god and social rights.

human-animal embryo's green light

According to BBC News, UK has given green light to the creations of human-animal hybrid embryos for research in September 2007.
There was a revolt by scientists, medical researchers and even patient groups when the government tried to outlaw almost all research into animal-human embryos. Currently, in the UK, the research is back by Nobel prizewinners, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the Commons science and technology committee, and the government's chief science adviser.

The laws in other other countries are:

Australia - Embryos allowed to be created for research, but human-animal hybrids banned. The only exception is to test the quality of sperm

Canada - Legislation bans the creation of human-animal embryos

US - Federal funds can only be used for research involving pre-existing embryos - such as those left over from fertility treatment - and there is a ban on hybrid embryos

Elsewhere - Other countries do not specifically legislate on hybrid embryos. But Italy and Germany only allow the use of pre-existing embryos and many others including Austria, Norway and Tunisia do not allow embryo research at all


"This is not a total green light for hybrid research, but recognition that this area of research can, with caution and careful scrutiny, be permitted."

the story

Since I have categorized this project under "narrative," I've realized that I am still missing the actual story. -_- My goal is to tell a story in a unconventional way. I have been concentrating on creating only the background story, instead of one specific story to tell. In Character Studio, I've learned that characters are more vivid when being described within a character-driven story. Thus, I decided to develop a specific character-driven story that have happened within the world I have created in the background story.

physiognomy and Le Brun

Physiognomy is a theory based on the idea that by looking at a person's outside appearance, especially facial features, we can determine the inner trait, peronality and characteristics of that person. http://face-and-emotion.com
It is an ancient idea first appeared in 5th century Athens.

In 1806, Charles Le Brun created a series of comparative drawings of human and animal faces depicting the physiognomy theory.








Le Brun's System on Physiognomy has a detailed breakdown of Le Brun's work.

He studied the lines relating different facial features belonged to both humans and animals. He then correlated humans with animal charateristics through comparing the lines.

He believed that if a human's face resembled an animal, he or she would have the same character traits of that type of animal. For example, one who looked like a lion would have that fierce quality.
Should the animal-human hybrids that I am creating have the exact same personalities that are usually associated with that specific animal?

The drawings of human heads are extremely well qualified examples of how humans would look with animal characteristics. Although they are not distinct illustrations of animal-human hybrids, they can be used as references.

Le Brun's works are still drawings of humans. Thus I will be more focused on the steps in between the human drawings and the animal drawing. Textures such as scales and furs will be a very important aspect of my characters. I will also consider the entire body instead of only the head.

animals with human characteristics

Doing research on character design, I have found a lot of images of animals that have human characteristics. It is obvious that the subjects shown in the images are animals. However, the emotions and characteristics conveyed through the facial expressions of these animals can all be associated with that of human. When I look at these animals, I do not believe they are just that. It is almost as if they are humans and are capable of communicating through their expresstions without any words.

bibliography 1.0

Here is the first version of my bibliography.

Becoming Animal, Mass MoCA

Becoming Aminal:Art in the Animal Kingdom is an exhibition in the Mass Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005.

background story ideas

1. Lonely Scientist vs. 1 hybrid.
-Father and son relationship
-Scientist creates one hybrid and watches him grow from the embryonic stage, to an infant, then to adulthood.
-Conflict: He tries to teach him to become a real human being. (pinocchio) But the hybrid still have animal behaviors. Cannot control himself, the hybrid keeps hurting the scientist physically, although unintentionally.
-??Ending: hybrid kills scientist and runs away.
-Both of them cannot be accepted by society.


2.Human is AlWAYS SUPERIOR
-A whole team of scientists.
-To fullfill man's pride and egotism.
-Created for pure lab research purposes.
-Hybrids cannot be taller than 4 feet.
-Hybrids will be terminated when showing animal behavoir.
-Hybrids do not have freedom.
-??Ending, definitely not good.


3. Create an entire hybrid society.
-Different breeds of hybrid are freed into the nature on an remote island.
-Each still maintain their unique living style
-They can reproduce themselves, forming different nations. (some lives underwater, on cliffs, in swamps)
-Different hybrids can visit other hybrids. (passport required)
-Human scientists are the central government. They do not live among the hybrids.
-Guardian/chilren relationship
-?Test for a future scenerio: solves the problem of over population.
-?Mirror of current race issues.
-Issues: Cannibalism-are carnivore allow to eat other hybrids?


4. One big happy family
-Scientists have successfully created hybrids and accepted by society.
-They can live among humans. (MIB)
-They can have human jobs.
-Hybrid's rights.
-Social issues: are they humans?
-Idea: people can donate embroys or cells to create these hybrids. In return, they can adopt these hybrids as their children. => Humans giving birth to hybrids?
-Cannibalism: Is a human/sheep hybrid allowed to eat lamb?

I am still keeping the installation idea in mind. It will convey a section in the background story.

laws

There is no federal law banning human cloning altogether.
according toNational Conference of State Legislature.
Only federal funding of research involving cloning for the purpose of reproduction or research is prohibited.
FDA now claims authority over regulations on human cloning<= they do not approve for safety reasons.
But Congress has not passed a law to confirm FDA's authority.

Four primary sources for embryonic stem cells:
-existing stem cell lines
-aborted or miscarried embryos
-unused in vitro fertilized embryos
-cloned embryos
There are different laws for attaining from each of sources.

National Reasearch Councileand Institute of Medicine of the National Academies have created this Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in April 2005. It is merely a set of ethical standards instead of a set of laws.
There is also an Amendments to the document in 2007.

reasons for creation

Some scientists argue:
*human-animal hybrids = golden era of medicine.
-model the progression of human diseases
-test new drugs
-harvest tissues and organs for transplantation
*only benefit people

Or more in the science fiction perspective:
*People want to create "super-humans," to strengthening the human body.
*People are tired of looking at themselves, need to create something new.
*People want to create slaves.
*People love to play god.
*People are just mad.

are you a man or a mouse?

Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends is well known author and speaker on the issues concerning the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment. He has published an article in the British newspaper The Guardian called "Are You a Man or a Mouse."

In 2005, Scientists, headed by Dr. Irving Weissman, have injected human brain cells into mice fetuses and successfully created mice that are 1%, hoping to follow-up with an experience to produce mice with 100% human brain.

Scientists say:
*chimpanzees can created the best result, very feasible
-closely related to us
-share 98% of the human genes
-fully mature chimp = four-year-old human.

Based on the current stage of chimeric experimentation, Rifkin raised some questions:
*Can they be considered as human? A test to see if they are human enough?
*Can they have human rights?
*Are they going to be substitute for humans? To perform dangerous activities?
*Are we risking to undermine our own species "biological integrity"
*biological renaissance or self destruction?

Rifkin also asked:
*What will happen if the mice are let loose in nature?

Weissman said:
*He will keep the mice under tight control.
*If they show any humanness, he would kill him <== human is always superior, can control lives of all other beings. So......Does this mean these hybrids can never allowed to be considered as human? Even if they can think like human or act like human? Some people have pointed out that the mice experiements remind them of Pinky and the Brain.

If they can think exactly like humans and are also aware that humans have the ability to control their lives, I wouldn't be surprised if they want to revolt, or, take over the world.

Are humans suppose to, at any cost, prevent these hybrids from harming their creators?
Should these parahumans be genetically engineered to loose all ability to attack?
Should they be tamed psychologically as well as physically ?
Can they learn to live among humans?
Can they be GIVEN the opportunity to live among humans?
If their lives need to be given, are there any chance for them to be equals?