Energizer Mouse

jmoriarty writes "CNN reports about a group of researchers who can convert "fast-twitch" muscle fibers to "slow-twitch" muscles in mice. This essentially trades strength for endurance, and has potential to treat degenerative muscle diseases in humans down the road."

hmm...

[questionlp]

Does that mean that we will get cordless optical (aka: balless) mice (the input device, not the rodentia) that will go forever without a recharge?

In reverse?

[Jonny 290]

This is very, very cool.

But the real fun begins when they learn how to do the reverse - convert endurance into strength.

Local effect?

[therealmoose]

The thought of trading strength for endurance (and vis versa), is very interesting but I suspect that the balance in humans is pretty much optimal for general use. What's intriging to me is that the effect seems to be a local thing. Wanna be a soldier? How about cranking the upper body to strength and the lower to endurance? Geek? Turn the right arm to endurance. The possibilities are endless!

Re:Local effect?

[flewp]

I hope you don't mean what I think you mean with the right arm endurance thing.... Nah, nevermind, a geek couldn't last more than 5 minutes.

What to do about fat?

[coene]

What America really needs is a pill to turn fat into .. well.. anything else!

Re:What to do about fat?

[Radi-0-head]

What America really needs is people who understand that if you eat at McDonald's 5 times a week and don't exercise, you will likely turn into a fat ass.

It has been said a million times already... there is no substitute for proper diet and exercise -- and if there is at some point, I still won't use it. I'd rather have sore limbs from jogging than watch my dick fall off as a side effect of the latest trendy pill. Ugh.

What to do about heat?

[yerricde]

It has been said a million times already... there is no substitute for proper diet and exercise

I try to eat right, but my body's cooling system won't really let me go outside and exercise when it's 90F (32C) or hotter out, and I don't have the ca$h for a health club membership.

Re:What to do about fat?

[keller]

Sure, but what happens when those 200+pounds of excess fat is converted into muscle, and muscle spasms occur...

Re:What to do about fat?

[coene]

You take a Muscle-To-Jello Pill!

One problem with them..

[BlackCobra43]

they keep going,and going,and going....

atheletes

[littlerubberfeet]

fast-twitch strength muscles take far less time to develop then slow-twitch ones. training for endurance takes a lot longer then strength training. So, how long until atheletes weight-train, then convert their muscle fibre and run marithons?

Good for rock climbing and kayaking too!

[maddogsparky]

Both are upper body sports that require endurance to be very good at.

Steve Irwin's in trouble...

[ptbrown]

So, can we do this to crocodiles too?

Okay, so they'll only be able to bite with ~80-100 lbs/sq.in. That's still a lot. And the only advantage humans have ever had over crocs is endurance. You give this stuff to a croc and it's.... well, you know what that wacky Aussie would say.

aside: hrmm... there's now "what's this" links on the submission form. Since when did /. start pandering to lusers?

This might help

[brejc8]

My computer [man.ac.uk] keeps crashing and this might help it stay "running" for longer.

I s this news?

[vidnet]

Maybe the mouse is, but we all know the Energizer Bunny!

Of course if you read further.

[Guru1]

You would find out that they were breeding the mice with the new muscle materials. They don't seem to have found a way to actually put this into an existing animal and change it's muscle concentration. So sure, they can breed long distance runners, but they can't make a sprinter into one.

Just do it

[dark-br]

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