Best. Question. EVER.
So this is nifty: Recently, some scientists took a dead rat's heart and, essentially, used stem cells to create a new, living heart from the remains of the old one.
I heard about this on Science Friday, because I happen to fall into the subcategory of "Nerds Who Like Listening to NPR."
Dr. Doris Taylor, apparently the primary mind behind the Frankensteinian moment of triumph, came on for an interview with host Ira Flatow. And then they took callers.
Ah, callers.
Here is an exchange between one of 'em and the host. It's my best go at a word-for-word transcription, so I'm putting the longest bit of it under a cut.
Caller: Hi, I hope this isn't an obscure question- it's really simple, actually. There's- there are stem cells and then there are the cells that are located, like, in your cheek, or in your- on your nose, or some other part of your body. I think they're called somatic cells? I don't know what they're called. But, but I- I get the impression that there are, there are gradations of, of, of specialism, like, like a- you know, you'll have a stem cell, and then you'll have a, a heart-destined stem cell. And then you'll have a valve, a heart valve spe- I-
Flatow: Right-
Caller: I, I don't know- (continues speaking over Flatow, unintelligible)
Flatow: But do you have a- Ed? Do you have a question here, Ed? Ed? Do you have a question?
Caller: Are there degrees of stemminess?
...
...
Ha!
Should anyone ever even bother asking a question again? Because clearly, the awesomeness of that question cannot ever be topped.
Also, "stemminess" is officially my new favorite word.
I heard about this on Science Friday, because I happen to fall into the subcategory of "Nerds Who Like Listening to NPR."
Dr. Doris Taylor, apparently the primary mind behind the Frankensteinian moment of triumph, came on for an interview with host Ira Flatow. And then they took callers.
Ah, callers.
Here is an exchange between one of 'em and the host. It's my best go at a word-for-word transcription, so I'm putting the longest bit of it under a cut.
Caller: Hi, I hope this isn't an obscure question- it's really simple, actually. There's- there are stem cells and then there are the cells that are located, like, in your cheek, or in your- on your nose, or some other part of your body. I think they're called somatic cells? I don't know what they're called. But, but I- I get the impression that there are, there are gradations of, of, of specialism, like, like a- you know, you'll have a stem cell, and then you'll have a, a heart-destined stem cell. And then you'll have a valve, a heart valve spe- I-
Flatow: Right-
Caller: I, I don't know- (continues speaking over Flatow, unintelligible)
Flatow: But do you have a- Ed? Do you have a question here, Ed? Ed? Do you have a question?
Caller: Are there degrees of stemminess?
...
...
Ha!
Should anyone ever even bother asking a question again? Because clearly, the awesomeness of that question cannot ever be topped.
Also, "stemminess" is officially my new favorite word.