Category Archives: Biological Sciences

Taking SARMs for Bigger Arms?

Posted on March 9, 2019 by christopher lam | 3 comments

Pills are common forms of ingesting SARMs (photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eandistudios/2333660035/in/photolist)

The supposed new safer performance enhancing drug is already being sold to athletes and the general public illegally without pharmaceutical testing. This new drug is becoming more popular due to its perceived safety. Taking SARMs will add more muscle to your body, with reduced negative effects compared to common anabolic steroids, however scientists warn that they aren’t as safe as they appear to be.

What are they?

Selective Androgen Modulators, more commonly known as SARMs, are a class of chemical compounds that have some similar properties to that of lab made human growth hormones (i.e. mimics of testosterone). Similar to steroids, they affect the body by increasing muscle mass and strength while also reducing body fat. SARMs affect the human body’s sensor for certain growth hormones like testosterone, meaning that the body keeps producing an increased amount naturally due to it suppressing part of the body’s hormone cycle.

SARMs vs Steroids

SARMs are different from the more notorious performance enhancing drug, anabolic steroids, as they don’t introduce any lab made steroids into the body. Anabolic steroids are used by todays bodybuilders and some athletes for increased physical capabilities as they mimic the growth hormone, testosterone. SARMs are an appealing option as they can target specific muscle groups, with reduced negative side effects. Steroids will affect the body more drastically than SARMs, as they directly add more hormones to the human body. SARMs will have less of an effect due to it only affecting certain muscle groups for targeted testosterone level increases.

Example of a lab made human growth hormone for performance enhancement (Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Depo-testosterone_200_mg_ml.jpg)

Is it Safe?

Although SARMs are said to be safer than steroids, they still have the same negative effects, but perhaps to a lesser degree. Since someone who takes SARMs will have higher than normal testosterone level, abuse can lead to the same effects as steroids. The negative side effects include balding, increased aggression, depression, liver damage, heart attacks and strokes. Recent studies by the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) have recorded cases of life-threatening liver toxicity. Another warning regarding SARMs is that long-term clinical tests are still being conducted.

Closing remarks

If you’re someone considering taking steroids, SARMs may be a safer option; however, because of the known short-term side effects and limited completed long-term studies, they should not be taken. The much safer and recommended option is to not take any type of steroid and SARM without specific medical conditions like muscle degeneration and anemia. Taking SARMs are a prohibited substance in the World Anti-Doping Agency and are manufactured and sold illegally.

Christopher Lam

The famous bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger (Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bodybuildinginindia/4060600616/in/photolist)

3 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences

Tagged athletes, health, nutrition, sports, supplements

Does time flies?

Posted on March 4, 2019 by siming tang | Leave a comment

The clock was invented by human beings to keep track of time. The atomic clock is one of the most accurate clocks in the world, it will not gain or lose one second in 15 billion years. Therefore, the time will not fly. However, sometimes we do feel that the time pass by quickly when we are having fun. The time seems to crawl when we are having a boring class.

Ytterbium Lattice Atomic Clock took by National Institute of Standards and Technology https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ytterbium_Lattice_Atomic_Clock_(10444764266).jpg

Some people suggest that when we are having fun, we are paying attention to what we are doing. Therefore, we can not notice that the time pass by. However, when we are feeling bored, we will focus on time and notice that the time crawls.

Dr. Michael Shadlen said that “Every thought has various horizons”.Time flies according to these horizons. When we are really focusing on doing something, our mind can see the near horizons and the distant horizons. This makes the time goes by fast. In contrast, when we feel bored then we can only notice the near horizons and the horizons are not link to each other. As a result, time crawls.

It can also be related to the cells in the brain. Neuroscientist Joe Paton found out the neurons in our brain will release neurotransmitter dopamine which is a type of chemical that impacts how the brain feels about the time. When we are having fun, the neurons will release much more chemicals than usual. These chemicals make us feels that less time goes by. On the other hand, if we release lesser this type of chemicals, the time will go slowly in our mind.

In conclusion, time does not fly in reality. However, it does fly in our mind when we are having fun.

Young Blood, Old Soul

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Xin Dong | Leave a comment

We often hear our grandparents telling their stories in those “good old days”. Indeed, who doesn’t want to stay forever young? Humans all experience physical and mental function declines as we are inevitably getting old and a lot of researches have been done so far to solve the mystery of aging. As evidence piles up, scientists say that the fountain of youth may lie in the blood.

Can we reverse aging? Credit: Geralt

A recent paper published on Communications Biology showed a restored cognitive function in old mice after they received bone marrow transplantation from younger mice. They found that the level of a critical chemical, called CCL11, in blood was lowered in young bone marrow recipients mice and therefore reasoned that hematopoietic (blood cell generating) system may play a special part in regulating CCL11. This molecule is thought to have an inhibitory effect on nerve cells regeneration, which is a hallmark of aging.

However, this is not the first study in the field. In fact, discoveries on the rejuvenating power of young blood can be dated back as early as 1970s when scientists surgically connected the blood vessels of two lab mice with different ages so that they could share the same circulating blood. The old mice did become younger in terms of some physiological aspects. And more researches have found similar results and pinned down some critical molecules responsible for aging.

https://youtu.be/yKLlXRjktak

Blood transfusion reverses aging in mice
Credit: GeoBeats News

Those findings are very promising in helping us understand the mechanism of aging and develop drugs or therapies to fight some of the age-related disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in the future. However, our keenness to stay young has already been taken advantage of by some people. A start-up company in California called Ambrosia charged $8,000 to give clients one-time infusion with blood plasma from young people. Just in last month, FDA stated that “we’re concerned that some patients are being preyed upon by unscrupulous actors touting treatments of plasma from young donors as cures and remedies.” Soon after that, Ambrosia stopped their transfusion treatments.

Indeed, it’s not the time to jump the gun yet. First, those findings in animal models may or may not be applicable to humans yet: we still need more evidence to prove that. Secondly, such treatments are generally beyond the regulation of FDA, and they may bring other risks, such as blood-borne diseases, not to mention the societal consequences. Therefore, it seems we do have a long way to go before we find the real fountain of youth.

Written by Xin Dong

Does blue creatures really exist?

Posted on March 4, 2019 by fan feng | Leave a comment

Ever seen blue creatures?

Have you discovered that there are all kinds of colors in nature, but only blue is rare?Have you ever seen blue ingredients or tigers,dogs,cats in color of blue?Even we all think that the blue sky and the ocean are not real blue.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-sky-and-white-clouds-231009/

Reason

Take the example of the ocean, which is not really blue in itself. Because the sun light is roughly composed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. The light of each color has a different wavelength. When the sun shines into the sea, the light of the red, orange, yellow and green colors is easily absorbed by the water molecules. The blue and purple light is scattered. So the ocean looks like blue.

https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rayleigh_sunlight_scattering.png

Animals can display a variety of colors, mainly because they have pigments of various colors on their body. But for many blue animals, there is no blue pigment in it. They pass through the microstructure of their surface and interact with the light, let us think they are blue.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Morpho.jpg

For this blue morpho,we zoomed in on the scales of his wings and saw some ridged surfaces like Christmas trees.It is this ridge branch that allows blue morpho to offset the light of other colors and eventually reflect only the blue light. When the light shines in, some will reflect at the top, some will penetrate inside and reflect at the bottom.But if you look at it from other angles, the butterfly you see will not be blue.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/8023114584

The animals which are real blue

In nature, animals with true blue pigments may not even be 1%.There are about 12 elusively blue animals in the world.The reason of why animals are more likely to be blue due to its own structures,Some colorists have speculated that birds and butterflies evolved to see blue a long time ago, but they have no way to evolve blue feathers. If they have blue, it means there is more way to communicate and survive between the populations. It’s much easier to change the microscopic structure of their body surface and make themselves look blue than making blue pigment genes.

No Whey!

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Nick di Lello | 1 comment

The increasing popularity of whey protein for athletes is largely a financial strategy from dairy farmers. Not only is protein powder consumption unnecessary and expensive, it may come at a cost to your health. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that whey protein powder became popular. But why?

Whey powder in a measuring spoon. (Photo uploader: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/30934111318)

History of Whey

Prior to the invention of whey protein powder, dairy farmers had a huge problem. When producing cheese, only about 20% of the milk turns into cheese while the other 80% is whey by-product. Dairy farmers tried to dump the whey into streams, but this was extremely detrimental to the environment. As a result, governmental agencies implemented laws and regulations preventing farmers from doing this. Farmers also tried to use the whey as feed but unfortunately it was not a healthy diet for their cattle.

Still in need of a solution, farmers turned to the knowledge of scientists. The scientists realized that it was high in essential dietary proteins. They created a way to process the whey and turn it into a dietary protein supplement. After investing millions of dollars in marketing, the worldwide whey protein market value was estimated at $9.4 billion in 2017.

What’s the Problem?

According to Canadian statistics, nearly 100% of Canadians consume an acceptable amount of protein. Consuming more protein than necessary is not recommended. Studies show that consistently consuming too much protein can result in nausea, weakness, diarrhea, obesity and even death. Other studies have shown a correlation between high protein intake and osteoporosis, kidney stones, cancer, and heart disease.

About 65% of adults have difficulty digesting lactose, which is present in high quantities in whey. Therefore, after consuming whey it is very common to become bloated. Whey protein also causes a spike insulin (a hormone involved in controlling a cells energy), which shuts down the burning of fat in the body. Whey has been shown to have a more dramatic effect on insulin levels than pure glucose. Thus, it is not uncommon to become obese if you’re consuming whey protein powder.

Another major concern about whey protein powder is lack of regulation. Protein powder falls under the category of dietary supplement, so it is not regulated by the FDA. That means it is up to the company to be honest and accurate with their labels. An organization called the Clean Label Project “…uses data and science to revel the true contents of America’s best-selling consumer products”. In many cases, the Clean Label Project has found unsafe levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA and BPS (chemicals used in production of plastics) and other toxins.

Should I Stop Using Whey?

If you’re not protein deficient, which you probably aren’t, then the only time protein supplements could potentially be beneficial are after intense exercise. Plant based protein powder may be a better option for many people because it is easier for your body to digest. In the end, time and dedication is what will grow muscle, not protein powder.

Nick di Lello

1 Comment

Posted in Biological Sciences

Tagged exercise, fitness, health, lifestyle, supplements

Marine Evictions

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Cam Carvalho | 1 comment

Anyone who has seen the any of our world’s oceans can easily appreciate their immensity.

The ocean’s cover 71% of the surface of Earth. Retrieved March 4, 2019 from https://www.goodfreephotos.com/people/woman-standing-next-to-the-ocean.jpg.php

But don’t be fooled. Contrary to what you might think, they aren’t open expanses of habitable environment where any marine species can live and thrive.

As anyone with any background in biology can tell you, just because the space is there, doesn’t mean it can be occupied by any living organism. This is especially true when it comes to the marine environment.

Marine species have to face a number of challenges that many terrestrial species simply would never have to worry about. One of these challenges, that poses a more serious threat because of climate change, is the availability of oxygen.

The Oxygen Minimum Zone

Many complex physical, biological, and chemical processes are constantly taking place within the ocean. Some of which are highly variable, and others are relatively constant.

One feature that arises from a combination of these processes, is the Oxygen Minimum Zone (or OMZ), which are pockets within the water column that contain low levels of dissolved oxygen. These areas are present throughout the world’s oceans and usually occur at a depth of 200 to 1000 metres.

Oxygen Minimum Zones occur naturally and don’t pose a serious threat to marine life. However, researchers have begun to see that some of these low oxygen areas are beginning to expand, as a result of global warming.

Sea surface oxygen levels. Purple are the lowest concentrations and red are the highest. Retrieved March 4, 2019 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WOA09_sea-surf_O2_AYool.png

The Problem

One benefit of living in the ocean that many terrestrial animals don’t have, is the ability to not only migrate horizontally, but also vertically. In fact, many marine organisms undergo these vertical migrations for many different purposes, such as escaping predation.

There are many studies being conducted, and that have already been done, where researchers are trying to measure how well different marine species are able to tolerate low levels of oxygen.

They can measure this through physiological responses, like metabolism, or behavioural responses, like the frequency and duration of movement within the water column.

One key observation that some researchers have made is that many fish species cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen. So, if the oxygen minimum zones continue to expand, their habitat will become more and more limited.

What Does This All Mean?

Some species with a higher tolerance to low oxygen levels may have an advantage as they are able to escape predation and other competing species.

However, the expansion of the oxygen minimum zones will bring even more challenges to species who need to avoid the low oxygen levels.

This is especially concerning if this includes certain fish species that are an integral part of the food web; not only as a source of food for many other marine organisms, but for the fisheries industry that depends on a large expanse of fish populations.

Cameron Carvalho

1 Comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science

Tagged #climatechange, #deoxygenation, #oceanography

Is Genetic Editing the Future?

Posted on February 27, 2019 by gloria chan | 3 comments

Genetic editing, is it good or is it bad?

Many people have been debating about this for a while now. One recent news that came out in November talked about a scientist who genetically edited a pair of twin girls. The scientist, He Jiankui, used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the babies genome which he claims would allow the babies to have a better resistance to HIV and AIDS.

Human egg cells. Image by Виталий Смолыгин. Retrieved from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=42719&picture=cell

What the scientist did was that he disabled the gene, CCR5. This disables the HIV virus from entering the cell because the gene forms a protein pathway. With it disabled the virus cannot get in since there wouldn’t be a pathway. The problem with disabling the gene is that people without this gene has a greater chance of being infected by other viruses.

An image of DNA structure. Image by Виталий Смолыгин. Retrieved from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=31530&picture=structure-of-dna

There have been many concerns on how this genetic modification can affect the babies because of the fact that this method hasn’t been truly tested. A professor in the University of Oxford, Julian Savulescu, said, “Gene editing itself is experimental and is still associated with off-target mutations, capable of causing genetic problems early and later in life, including the development of cancer.”

Many people condemned the scientist for his seemingly unethical way of human experimentation. But gene editing has been happening for a while and have been proven to heal genetic diseases, it is just that it hasn’t been experimented enough to know for sure that it is safe to be used on humans. One example would be a team of researchers that was led by Gerald Schwank. They were able to successfully correct the mutated genes in the liver cells of mice thus healing the mice from the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria. Another example is that gene editing was used to reduce cholesterol levels in mice that were still in their mother’s womb. This is done by targeting the gene that regulates cholesterol. The experiment was successful and the mice born were healthy.

So, would you consider gene editing the future?

This video talks about genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9. Published by McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.

This video is about the scientist, He Jiankui, and his experiment on the two twin girls. Published by The He Lab.

Gloria Chan

3 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science in the News

Tagged Biology, DNA, gene, gene editing, Medical Sciences, mice, twins

Who wants a glowing pet?

Posted on January 28, 2019 by SabrinaCheema | 2 comments

What is GFP?

Jellyfish Aequorea Victoria, which exhibits a green fluorescence when exposed to light. Source Microbiologics Blog, https://blog.microbiologics.com/green-fluorescent-proteins-shining-new-light-on-food-qc/

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a naturally occurring protein found in jellyfish Aequorea Victoria, which exhibits a green fluorescence when exposed to light. This fluorescent protein has transformed biomedical research because cellular biological processes can now be observed in real time. This protein is located in the jellyfish’s umbrella where it interacts with another protein called aequorin. This specific interaction between GFP and aequorin emits blue light when calcium ions are added. Furthermore, this chemical reaction supplies the energy to produce the green fluorescence. GFP consists of 238 amino acids however, the 65^thto 67^thamino acids form the core structure responsible for emitting the green fluorescence when exposed to light.

This video describes the main components and uses of GFP in biomedical research. Source Alex Dainis, Science Vlogger and Genetics Grad Student.

Why is GFP important?

GFP itself is non-toxic, stable and spontaneously conforms into its functional shape without the need for outside chemicals or enzymes. Also, GFP doesn’t interfere with any of the biological processes within an organism. Therefore, GFP is being used as a visual marker in biomedical research. After, GFP is injected into a cell the green fluorescence glow is observed using a fluorescence microscope. This fluorescence microscope is able to photograph the cellular biological processes without interfering.

For example, in recombinant technology, the GFP gene is combined with a gene of interest, which produces the protein of interest. Then this complex is injected into a cell and if the cell produces the green fluorescent glow it suggests the cell is expressing the gene of interest. Scientists added this harmless fluorescent gene into insulin producing cells in the pancreas of mice. The researchers were able to observe the biological process and reform existing diabetes treatments.

How is GFP relevant to us?

Companies such as Yorktown technologies were the first to start selling fluorescent pet zebrafish called GloFish. Also, the Animal Reproductive Institute of Uruguay produced a glowing green sheep using the GFP gene that was injected into the sheep embryo. Furthermore, a research team in Seoul National University injected beagle dog embryos with a similar fluorescent protein obtained from a sea anemone. As a result four puppies would emit a red fluorescent glow under ultraviolet light. This GFP gene has been injected into other animals too such as cows, pigs, bunnies, monkeys, cats, and rats.

This video describes how GFP can cause animals to be bioluminescent . Source Seeker.

Therefore, GFP has not only transformed biomedical research in the terms of being able to observe how cancer spreads, HIV infections proceed, fetuses grow during development and other various biological processes occur but also, allowed scientists to create glow in the dark pets.

Now, who wouldn’t want a glowing green pet!

Sabrina Cheema

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science in the News

Tagged Biochemistry, Biology, cancer research, DNA, Medical Sciences, Medicine, Public Engagement

Video

Miracle Drug Or The Devil’s Lettuce?

With marijuana making its way into the spotlight across the globe in recent years as well as the recent legalization here in Canada, it seems the stigma & sentiment around the herb is quickly changing. However, now that weed is legal & can be purchased by anyone over the age of 19, does that mean consuming marijuana on regular basis (or at all) is free of risk and repercussions?

Canadian cannabis flag captured by Cannabis Culture at the Global Marijuana March 2013 in Vancouver. Source: Flickr

Differing Opinions

People opposing the newly legal drug, argue that cannabis consumption puts you at greater risk for mental impairment & that it stifles motivation, while those in favor of the substance tout it as a miracle drug capable of curing cancer & reducing pain. So, is it really that bad after all?

Cannabis Use in Teenagers and Young Adults

One demographic that has had red flags raised regarding the consumption of cannabis, is those under the age of 25. The reason being that is the age when the human brain has fully matured & is less susceptible to some of the harmful effects of marijuana. But it seems as though most young adults & teenagers alike, are not waiting until their brains have reached maturation to try the drug, as a recent census bureau report found that 32.7 percent of teenagers had smoked marijuana in the previous 3 months.

Caution, cannabis is not for everyone. Source:Pixabay

Teens Stuck In A Haze

Frequency & potency of cannabis use are the main detrimental drivers of damage to the developing brain. Research has shown that frequent use of marijuana in adolescence has a strong correlation to anxiety & depression with many users also disruptive behaviour & overall general cognitive decline. In addition, many researchers have cited that persistent use of marijuana by teenagers increases one’s risk of schizophrenia & other brain structure abnormalities. The effects of marijuana on the young brain are summarized well in the following video made by Dr. Jodi Goodman, who is the director of neuroscience at the Center for Addiction Medicine.

Source: Youtube, uploaded by Massachusetts General Hospital

Simply Put – We Love To Get Intoxicated

How come it seems like the number of cannabis users is increasing despite the endless research on the negative cognitive effects it has? One explanation for this is that weed allows many to feel a sense of relaxation & contentment that may not otherwise be achievable. Although this reason itself may commonly be overlooked, it is within the same bounds as Canadians spending twenty-two and a half billion dollars on alcohol last year. Having said this, it seems reasonable that anyone over the age of 19 is legally allowed to choose whether or not they want to use safe intoxicants (like alcohol or marijuana).

Dried marijuana ready for consumption Source: Pixabay

So What’s The Big Idea?

While the use of cannabis has many unfavorable effects, when used in moderation it can be an effective method for alleviating pain, anxiety, & much more. Therefore, once the risks are known, I think it should be left to one’s own discretion on whether or not to consume cannabis & how often at that.

Written by Riley Cox

1 Comment

Posted on January 28, 2019 by riley cox in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged brain, canada, health, marijuana, mental health, Neuroscience, Public Engagement, science, weed

Baby’s First Encounter in the Womb – Abortion

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Christina Kim | 7 comments

Disclaimer: Content may be sensitive to some viewers.

There are many controversial debates concerning the moral acceptance of abortions in North America. In 2017, there were a total of 94,030 abortions in Canada alone. Abortion is the premeditated act of discharging a fetus from the womb. Let’s try and dig into what people have to say. Watch Bill Nye express his view of this topic below.

It’s Okay, It’s Not Alive.

Pro-abortionists argue that abortion is morally permissible because the fetus is not a part of the moral community and it does not meet the criteria of personhood. They claim that the fetus is not attentive to its surroundings or even to itself in terms of emotion, communication, and experience of pleasure and pain. In addition, they do not consider the movement of the fetus inside the mother’s womb as a sign of expressing itself.

The concept of proxy consent may arise during the debate.

“It is the legal right to approve a medical procedure on behalf of an individual who is incompetent in giving consent.”

In this context, mothers have legal merit to terminate her pregnancy as the fetus cannot make such decisions.

Photo of a stillborn baby taken by Nicci Doula.

A researcher named Joel Feinberg proposed an example by means of an acid. He stated that the characteristics of an acid including its solubility in water, sourness, and colour changes of litmus paper from blue to red are not the foundational components relevant to its acidity and cannot be used as an effective test to determine its acidity.

Correspondingly, to say that an individual is ‘living’, is to say that they are able to make choices rooted from logical lines of reasoning. Therefore, the pro-abortionists argue that the fetus cannot be considered a being and aborting the fetus is morally acceptable. Watch this clip below of Dave Rubin interviewing Cara Santa Maria about the ethics of abortion.

Stop! Abortion is Murder.

On the contrary, there are people who believe that abortion is morally unacceptable as they consider the fetus to be alive. They argue that the fetus has complete formation of the brain structure at 12 weeks, the heart pumps roughly 28 litres of blood per day, and it is able to recognize sound as the ears are being developed, showing signs of life.

Also, they indicate that the fetus demonstrates voluntary movements within the womb and react to external stimuli which is one of the criterion for life. Thus, they propose potential consciousness of the fetus.

Photo of a baby echo taken by Rudy and Peter Skitterians.

In response to the acid example, anti-abortionists argue that this claim is unreasonable. For instance, in a laboratory setting, to identify whether an unknown substance is acidic, technicians go through series of tests including acid-base titration and litmus paper testing to determine whether the substance is acidic. Therefore, these characteristics are relevant to verify the acidity of a chemical. Although they may not be the only characteristics to describe the nature of the acid, these observational methods are definitely necessary to determine whether or not a substance is an acidic.

Likewise, to identify the fetus as a human being, observational methods are important to show that it is alive. In other words, observing the brain structure, heart, and hearing can be used in considering the fetus to be a living organism is absolutely necessary. Therefore, anti-abortionists say that it is morally impermissible to attain an abortion.

Where Do You Stand?

This topic will continue to present itself in the debating world.

Where do you stand? What’s your perspective?

Christina Kim

7 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged abortion, Birth-Control, controversy, debate, ethics, fetus, health, living, medical, moral, Public Engagement, womb

Category Archives: Biological Sciences

Taking SARMs for Bigger Arms?

Does time flies?

Young Blood, Old Soul

Blood transfusion reverses aging in mice
Credit: GeoBeats News

Does blue creatures really exist?

No Whey!

Marine Evictions

Is Genetic Editing the Future?

Who wants a glowing pet?