Scientists Create Swimming Jellyfish From Rat Hearts

Because scientists apparently don't care who our new overlords are as long they aren't us, a group of bioengineers from Harvard and the California Institute of Technology have built swimming jellyfish out of silicon rubber and the cells from rat hearts. Soon, they'll be assembling themselves with the cells from human hearts. I'm calling it!

When the team put the engineered jellyfish into a pool of ionized water and sent an electric signal through the water, the fish swam like a real jellyfish.

The breakthrough is a big step toward the development of an artificial human heart with living cells. It also opens a window to a future where humans could loosen the constraints of evolution.

Future versions should be able to swim and feed by themselves.

Did you read that last sentence? It said future versions will be able TO FLY AND FEAST ON THE FLESH OF HUMANS. "That's not what it said." No? That's what my roommate told me it said. "Can you not read?" Of course I can read! "What's the name of this magazine?" Playboy. "WRONG -- it's Maxim. You really can't." Hey -- at least I'm not the one with the Maxim subscription.

Hit the jump for a video of one of the little buggers in action.

Thanks to Malandros, Stephanie H, Melissa, Brandon and Ed, who agree if we should be making anything out of rat hearts it should be a hobo feast, amirite?!

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