Their brains may not be bigger than normal, but monkeys created with human brain genes are exhibiting cognitive changes that suggest they might be smarter — and the experiments have ethicists shuddering. In the wake of the genetically modified human babies scandal, Chinese scientists are drawing fresh condemnation from philosophers and ethicists, this time over the announcement they’ve created transgenic monkeys with elements of a human brain. The monkey’s brains developed along the same timeline as a human brain. “So, yes, it’s morally risky to move towards humanizing primates, particularly when we are talking about the brain,” Styner said. The researchers had expected their transgenic monkeys would have developed a bigger than normal brain, which wasn’t the case.

Source: National Post April 12, 2019 19:52 UTC