Scientists Make Fruit Flies Gay, Then Straight Again

[underpants]

Source: Fox News

While several studies find homosexuality in humans and other animals is biological rather than learned, a question remains over whether it's a hard-wired phenomenon or one that can be altered.

A new study finds that both drugs and genetic manipulation can turn the homosexual behavior of fruit flies on and off within a matter of hours.

• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Natural Science Center.

To test this, the researchers genetically altered synapse strength, independent of GB. They also gave flies drugs to alter synapse strength. As predicted, they were able to turn fly homosexuality on and off, within hours.

"It was amazing. I never thought we'd be able to do that sort of thing, because sexual orientation is supposed to be hard-wired," Featherstone said. "This fundamentally changes how we think about this behavior."



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316316,00.html

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We have ourselves a bonafide talking point "Well you know, scientists have been able to...."

[tanyev]

1. They didn't even have to pray over them? Wow.

[zanne]

2. Why are they always trying to confuse fruit flies? nt

[alfredo]

65. Now he will have to change his whole wardrobe.

[Bicoastal]

3. Flies are a lot like humans, you know.

Except with much less DNA, a fraction of the life span, less complex brains, six legs, and wings.

Also, they're much, much, much, much smaller.

But according to Fox, if they can do it to flies...

:eyes:

[Turbineguy]

22. If they can do it to flies

they can do it to those who watch Fox News.

It does make sense.

[niceypoo]

Well, there's your cure Ted...

If your treatment backfires then you can volunteer as a human test subject (for the good of the flock, yanno..)

[johnaries]

67. Well, flies and Fox News viewers are both attracted to shit. nt.

[Hugin]

4. The VRWNM has been peppering the airwaves with these 'bombshells' lately...

-The non-embryonic stem-cell stem-cells
-Lack of hurricanes as proof against global warming. (Don't pay any attention to the drought)

Are just a few of the "Running of the Bulls**t"...



Pseudoscience... :puke:

[dmallind]

6. Rather silly of them IMO

Well obviously in one context but I mean from THEIR point of view it's silly too.

If genetic manipulation and gene-based therapy can control homosexuality in flies doesn't that rather argue that it IS a genetic issue not a "lifestyle choice"? I mean no great surprise, but wondering why they'd want to promote that angle...

[Hugin]

9. Because they'd like to turn it OFF!

I'm wondering how they define whether a fruit fly is gay or not... A survey? Good fashion sense?

[dmallind]

12. D'you really think so?

I mean is the goal of anyone to not have gays at all? I understand it may seem like that but what would they do to energize the base then? Not to mention that would have to be forced "straightening" to have any impact. Surely all but the most wackjob fundies would recoil at that?

Brings up an interesting moral/ethical conundrum though. Would it be ethical to offer a completely voluntary, completely reversible, "switch" from straight to gay and vice versa on the marketplace? I certainly doubt anyone here, or anyone sane, would suggest a forced option but, given that the "switch" would probably be one that turns on or off certain genetically-determined neurochemical signals so we don't have to deal with the "choice" BS, would it be OK to offer a switch at all?

Not sure where I sit there myself yet. Never thought about it.

[customerserviceguy]

28. I'd like to see

if they can turn off religion, too.

[dmallind]

58. Hey I'd buy that

Actually it's in the same part of the brain that controls epilepsy. Religious hallucinations can be turned on at will by brain stimulation. Not sure if they can be turned off permanently but nice idea.

[AngryAmish]

61. It may be possible one day

There is good evidence that certain brain areas are used while praying, having religious experience etc. see If you can image religious experience, then you could possibly learn to turn off the function.

A friend of mine was a very religious guy. He was in an accident and suffered a pretty serious permanent brain injury. He lost his faith. Not in a sense that he felt treated unfairly by God or came to feel God did not exist through logic, he just "didn't feel it" anymore.

So, if there is a biological basis for belief in God, it will probably be amenable to manipulation in the future.

[alfredo]

66. The God Gene I've heard it called.

I tried to believe in a higher power, I can't. My body rebels against it. It's not something I decided, my body reacted badly to supernatural beliefs. I like fantasy and ghost stories, but I don't believe them.

[awoke_in_2003]

21. "A survey? Good fashion sense?"

No, it is the liking of show tunes :)

[Kurovski]

31. Really though,

it's all about the cock.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. It works on poultry, too?

:)

[Kurovski]

40. It's delicious.

[sutz12]

30. Yeah, I'm sure they're looking for a vaccine.

:evilgrin:

[Mz Pip]

32. What does the stereotypical

gay fruit fly do?

How do they know they aren't just dealing with bi fruit flies?

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Mythsaje]

19. Yeah, just pretend we DIDN'T just have

what amounted to a category 1 hurricane hit the west coast last week.

Nothing to see here.

[Kurovski]

41. Gone with the wind.

A non-event, really.

[scarface2004]

5. lesbian fruit flies are hot!!!

go to 'girl fruit flies gone wild'...yummy!!

[allinktup]

7. Thanks Anyway...

But some of us actually think being gay is pretty damn fun & and don't really want to be re-wired

[hedgehog]

11. Excellent point! My daughter and I had a discussion on a similar topic.

Which is less intrusive, surgery and hormone treatment to alter the body of a transgendered person to match self image, or potentially to re-wire the brain to match the body. She maintained, and I'd have to agree, that surgery is a better solution than forcing the brain to match the body.

[underpants]

35. Welcome to DU

:hi:

I posted this just so we could see what kind of BS was coming our way

So much for the conservative thing about staying out of peoples' lives, haven't heard THAT one in a while.

[rzemanfl]

8. Good thing they can do it in hours, those flies don't live long. n/t

[sniffa]

10. science is now gospel to the faithful

[orleans]

13. creepy--genetic manipulation--ugh. figures fox would be all over this. n/t

[TrogL]

14. What about bisexual flies?

Did they even test for that?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. I've tried taking drugs and manipulating my genitals, and

I'm still gay. I think I need to do more research. Lots more research.

[Rockholm]

16. I likey research.

[Kurovski]

29. If either of you are ever near my research institute...please do stop by.

[Rockholm]

53. Oooohhh, "research"

Sounds fun.

[Kurovski]

54. It's strictly to gather statestics.

[Spinzonner]

17. I'm sure they could have more easily reversed the effects

by some Christian Counseling

:sarcasm:

[Neshanic]

18. So that begs the religious question if the fundies want to go down that road.

Well our crack team of scientists, who apparently have too much time on their hands to be able to make fruitflies switch teams, then the fundies should be aware that all manner of things are possible. They better watch out what they wish for, they may get it and a bonus that affects them in a genetically altered synapse kind of way that will be beyond their little minds to wrap around.

[mtnester]

20. Fox News?

mmmkay

[underpants]

37. • Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Natural Science Center.

:rofl:

[mikelgb]

23. ooh I like the ads this thread generates

[ecstatic]

24. They've already done that with rats and hormones

This isn't a new concept.

[roxnev]

25. Who gives a sh!t

Remember if there was no gay acts, there could be no gays, and the Bible would be full of sh!t, for saying Butt fu@king was a no-no. The Bible says it is a sin to lye with man, as you lye with women, is a sin. But if you don't butt fu@k your wife, or she dose not give you her husband a blow job. Dose that make it all right to get a gay blow job? joke

[TrogL]

56. errr...it doesn't exactly say that

http://members.shaw.ca/trogl/bibquote.html

[Irishonly]

26. How Did They Know The Flies Were Straight?

:shrug:

[tom_paine]

27. Showed them a picture of Pam Anderson the Fruit Fly

Have you seen the mandibles on that cutie?

[underpants]

34. WOWZER!

:wow:

:bounce:

[fujiyama]

36. This should prove to be a real quandary for religious zealouts

Often times they are at the forefront of opposing genetic research and "playing God". Usually they oppose even therapeutic cloning as well as stem cell research. But then again, now they have a chance to "save" all those gay people...

[underpants]

38. This brings to mind "scientific racists"

Like the Pioneer Fund (funded "The Bell Curve") and such. The scientific wing of the white supremacy movement.

[Deja Q]

39. How do the fruit flies know which ones are male? I mean, those critters are SMALL...

:hide:

[Kurovski]

42. They're the ones who won't do the dishes.

[Deja Q]

45. And drive SUVs!

:hide:

[Kurovski]

47. And don't breast feed maggots in public.

[morgan2]

43. Oh man I cant wait

till I can drug my friends and make them gay. Ill make them do horrible things the hold it over them after I turn them back. Its like the new prank!

[Kurovski]

44. All I ask

...is that you don't tear their legs off.

[screennaame]

46. were comparing humans to fruit flies

i mean if they were able to do this to gorillas i might find it a little bit more... related to the human race.

[KamaAina]

48. You did say "fruit" flies, right?

:rofl:

[KamaAina]

49. Hallelujah! An ex-gay ministry for fruit flies!

Praise the Lord and pass the nectar! :sarcasm:

[humbled_opinion]

50. I think they spout this crap to cure the supposedly

Non-Homo, Homo's like Larry Craig and Ted Haggard and Mark Foley...

[Bluebear]

51. "• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Natural Science Center."

Does it link you to a Bible?

[Kurovski]

52. IThe link just sends me to

Bill O'Reilly's online falafal and loofah shop. :shrug:

[jmm]

55. I see all the research from

the gay bomb didn't go to waste.

[Felix Mala]

57. "Will I suffer any brain damage?" "Well, technically, it is brain damage..."

[KurtNYC]

59. Larry Craig can do that too

Straight to gay and then back again in time for the press conference

[readmoreoften]

60. This crap concerns me. What's next? My long term relationship is a disease? /nt

[BigDDem]

62. Any comment from Ken Mehlman?

[Kurovski]

64. Glad you asked: "I did not have relations with that...fruit fly."

[mulsh]

63. do they get to keep the panini grill? this is a joke, right?

and wouldn't it have been more usefull to turn straight fruit flies gay then turn them back to being straight?