By Nick Buchan of NEWS.com.au
June 27, 2005
Eerie ... boffins have brought dead dogs back to life, in the name of science.
SCIENTISTS have created eerie zombie dogs, reanimating the canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans.
US scientists have succeeded in reviving the dogs after three hours of clinical death, paving the way for trials on humans within years.
Pittsburgh's Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research has developed a technique in which subject's veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution.
The animals are considered scientifically dead, as they stop breathing and have no heartbeat or brain activity.
But three hours later, their blood is replaced and the zombie dogs are brought back to life with an electric shock.
Plans to test the technique on humans should be realised within a year, according to the Safar Centre.
However rather than sending people to sleep for years, then bringing them back to life to benefit from medical advances, the boffins would be happy to keep people in this state for just a few hours,
But even this should be enough to save lives such as battlefield casualties and victims of stabbings or gunshot wounds, who have suffered huge blood loss.
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During the procedure blood is replaced with saline solution at a few degrees above zero. The dogs' body temperature drops to only 7C, compared with the usual 37C, inducing a state of hypothermia before death.
Although the animals are clinically dead, their tissues and organs are perfectly preserved.
Damaged blood vessels and tissues can then be repaired via surgery. The dogs are brought back to life by returning the blood to their bodies,giving them 100 per cent oxygen and applying electric shocks to restart their hearts.
Tests show they are perfectly normal, with no brain damage.
"The results are stunning. I think in 10 years we will be able to prevent death in a certain segment of those using this technology," said one US battlefield doctor.
I don't really know what to say.
Never enter the hallway with the windows from the northeast entrance.
Zombie Dog: *jumps through the window and eats Jill*
Barry: Jill sandwich... *slobbers*
Truly, we usher forth a new era of scientific discovery.
Screw it, I'll be interested when they design yoghurt lids that don't hock fromage frais all over your shirt when you open them.
I'm just freaked out. Next thing you'll know, they'll be eating our brains...
~Neo
As long as the company doesn't end up calling themselves Umbrella, and isn't located in either a "Raccoon City" or "Silent Hill", 'is all good.
I remember reading about dogs being recucitated like this almost ten years ago.
Yea this will help prevent death until someone else finds a way to trump it too...interesting how they did it though but until they can do it on a human (Unlikely) I'm not impressed...
Mmmmm, I think some scientists have taken it a little to the extreme if you ask me...
If a dog's gone-it's gone. Theres no point doing that.
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Mmmmm, I think some scientists have taken it a little to the extreme if you ask me...
If a dog's gone-it's gone. Theres no point doing that.
Did you read the article? It's an experiment that's part of research to save human lives eventually.
I think this is an interesting, if creepy, development.
Reminds me of the Zombie Dogs from Resident Evil.
I really can't believe there are no ill effects. I can't wait to see what happens when they try it on humans.
I dunno about everyone else, but I find this really disturbing. Seriously disturbing, frankly. I don't think it's man's place to interfere with life and death in that sort of manner.
That said, I still think this is an interesting scientific development. But as Harley said, I remain sceptical as to there being no downsides. It's likely to be a different story when they attempt this with humans.
~SilverShadow.
I just find the whole process pretty darn freaky. I swear, if we do see a day and an age where ambulences are able to drain a person's blood and put them in a state of living death before any major damage is caused, they'd sure as hell better general you and then hold a policy of NOT EVER telling people that this had happened to them.
I mean "thanks for saving my life and all... but too much info, you know?"
Makes me really really ill to think of a person's blood fully drained and then put back in... It makes me queasy enough to think of draining a few pints from a person *goes white*
Life saving good... making people throw up straight after bad...
*RUNS FOR THE TOILETS*
