On this day in 1770, five American colonists were fatally shot by British soldiers in what is known as the Boston Massacre. John Adams believed that “on that night, the foundation of American independence was laid.”
The Boston Massacre marked the moment when political tensions between British soldiers and American colonists turned deadly. Patriots argued the event was the massacre of civilians perpetrated by the British Army, while loyalists argued that it was an unfortunate accident, the result of self-defense of the British soldiers from a threatening and dangerous mob. Regardless of what actually happened, the event fanned the flames of political discord and ignited a series of events that would eventually lead to American independence. John Adams believed that “on that night, the foundation of American independence was laid.”
To our prehistoric ancestors, a woolly mammoth must have been an awesome sight. For us modern humans, science now brings us the next best thing: the woolly mouse. Not quite as scary but way cuter.
Scientists genetically engineer mice with thick hair like the extinct woolly mammoth
WASHINGTON (AP) — Extinction is still forever, but scientists at the biotech company Colossal Biosciences are trying what they say is the next best thing to restoring ancient beasts — genetically engineering living animals with qualities to resemble extinct species like the woolly mammoth.
Woolly mammoths roamed the frozen tundras of Europe, Asia and North America until they went extinct around 4,000 years ago.
Colossal made a splash in 2021 when it unveiled an ambitious plan to revive the woolly mammoth and later the dodo bird. Since then, the company has focused on identifying key traits of extinct animals by studying ancient DNA, with a goal to genetically “engineer them into living animals,” said CEO Ben Lamm.
Outside scientists have mixed views about whether this strategy will be helpful for conservation.
“You’re not actually resurrecting anything — you’re not bringing back the ancient past,” said Christopher Preston, a wildlife and environment expert at the University of Montana, who was not involved in the research.
On Tuesday, Colossal announced that its scientists have simultaneously edited seven genes in mice embryos to create mice with long, thick, woolly hair. They nicknamed the extra-furry rodents as the “Colossal woolly mouse.”
Egg Shortage? Rent a Chicken
New Hampshire’s Rent the Chicken is offering a live, clucking solution to egg shortages, allowing customers to rent egg-laying chickens for their home.
For about $600 a season, the family-owned and operated business will supply renters with a coop, two laying hens, food, a waterer, a feeder, and instructions.
The appeal is availability, not price. The average return, they say, is about a dozen eggs per week through the six-month seasonal rental, which comes to roughly $23 a week.
Similar services like Rent A Coop in Maryland, Cluck It All Farms in Texas, and Hatch The Chicken, a sister operation, are also popping up across the U.S., offering regional chicken rentals to meet demand for fresh eggs.
