Nina In New York: Scientific Breakthrough: More Puppies
A lighthearted look at news, events, culture and everyday life in New York. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
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By Nina Pajak
Things are pretty bleak right now. Fear has become the prevailing feeling among Americans, whether it's of violence from abroad or at home, of gun control or a lack thereof, and of a shockingly successful presidential nominee who seems comfortable adding a hefty sprinkle of fascism to the Republican party platform. We've lost our trust, lost our way, lost our minds (ahem). On top of everything that's actually bad, it's Christmas commercial season which means that I spend 80 percent of my television viewing and internet-scrolling time weeping or on the verge thereof. STOP SHOWING ME VIDEOS OF PEOPLE SECRETLY DECORATING THEIR ELDERLY NEIGHBORS' HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I AM NOT EMOTIONALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE IT.
So, speaking of puppies, here are some puppies! I'd like to leave it there, but there's a story to these guys: they are the first ever litter of puppies born from in vitro fertilization (I.V.F.). Some are Beagles, one's a Cocker Spaniel-Beagle mix (a "Beaker," as it turns out). They're adorable and appear to be healthy and I'd like all of them, please.
According to The New York Times, this is exciting for a few reasons. First, it bodes well for conservation efforts for all sorts of endangered mammals. Arriving at this success was by no means a quick trip from the science involved in conceiving human babies by the same process. Now that they've finally cracked the case (20 years later!), they can theoretically move on to needier species. Second, this means scientists can potentially edit out some of the inherited diseases and life-threatening genetic flaws in a particular breed. Although, in the case of that Beaker puppy, I'd imagine there's not much the doctors can do to genetically enhance her brain power, bless her tiny, chipmunk head. And third, if they can genetically edit dogs to make them healthier and less susceptible to hereditary illnesses, then perhaps they can provide a similar service for us humans, too.
So you can see that this is not just an escapist story about PUPPIES, but rather a potentially groundbreaking scientific pursuit and a legitimate news item which is absolutely worth a few moments of our undivided focus in between reading endless op-eds about gun control and stories about people who put bullet holes in op-eds about gun control.
Because when the going gets tough and push comes to shove and the smoke clears and the chips fall, I think we can all set aside our differences and anxieties and agree that PUPPIES.
Have a great weekend.
Nina Pajak is a writer living with her husband, daughter and dog in Queens. Connect with Nina on Twitter!
