If you thought having an Aibo was the highest tech pet you could get, you’d be wrong. Check out the genmod guppie (okay, actually it’s a zebra fish) which has been enhanced with the genes of phosphorescent corral so that it is bright red in daylight and glows at night. Available, barring government intervention, sometime in January, these fishy little fishies will retail for about $5. Don’t think you can just get a couple and grow a whole tankfull — while the genes for glowing in the dark are carried on to offspring, like most genmods these guys are patented.
While I think the idea of genetically modified fish is pretty darn cool, I’m surprised that there is no governmental agency responsible for their oversight. Apparently if it’s not being eaten or used to produce medications there’s nothing that stands in the way of making any kind of wierdo pet you want and selling it on the open market, regardless of environmental impact.
That said, I’ll be the first to sign up when they offer this mod for humans — how cool would it be to glow in the dark!
Update: To answer the questions of those wondering about the EULA that comes with these, a company spokesperson has responded:
“– The fish are not sterile. When they reproduce their color is passed along to their offspring.
There is no provision over users breeding the fish, however, it is illegal for any entity other than Yorktown Technologies L.P. to sell them. – This is covered by a variety of patents and permissions secured by Yorktown.”
And here I was being all cynical about corporate America — silly me!