"you can't help but want to live in a world like that" - Matthew Kielty
April 16, 2016 2:22 PM Subscribe
The Raycat Solution is a 15 minute documentary by Benjamin Huguet about an idea proposed in 1981 by philosophers Françoise Bastide and Paolo Fabbri that by genetically engineering cats to be living Geiger counters, we could create a warning system for radioactive waste that would last at least ten thousand years. The idea languished for decades until Matthew Kielty did a feature on it for the 99% Invisible Podcast in 2014 [previously on MeFi]. Now biologist Kevin Chen is trying to bring the Ray Cat Solution to life.
But I want a glowing cat noooooooow.
posted by Going To Maine at 2:26 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 2:26 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
High tech cats... that is always worth a major investment. Or not.
posted by Nanukthedog at 2:35 PM on April 16, 2016
posted by Nanukthedog at 2:35 PM on April 16, 2016
science you have doomed us all
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:38 PM on April 16, 2016
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:38 PM on April 16, 2016
I have no idea how these people will get geiger counters wedged into their cats, or why.
posted by slater at 3:10 PM on April 16, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by slater at 3:10 PM on April 16, 2016 [9 favorites]
the "ooooo kitty changes colour" -> "my god get out of here" step isn't that clear to me. why aren't we laying the basis for some kind of future tourist spot where you can see the amazing glowing kitties?
edit: cat + radiation -> man killing zombie vampire cats seems like it would be more effective.
posted by andrewcooke at 3:17 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
edit: cat + radiation -> man killing zombie vampire cats seems like it would be more effective.
posted by andrewcooke at 3:17 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
I like linking burner friends to Glowing Bunnies Could Lead The Way To Better Drugs. It's better that than they fall in with those damn unicorns.
posted by jeffburdges at 3:19 PM on April 16, 2016
posted by jeffburdges at 3:19 PM on April 16, 2016
I'll concede this could really strengthen the vote for the nuclear power plant control room cats.
posted by clavdivs at 3:21 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 3:21 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
Oh no are my cats going to become obsolete?
posted by aubilenon at 3:30 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by aubilenon at 3:30 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'll concede this could really strengthen the vote for the nuclear power plant control room cats.
Until the treaty with the dogs breaks down and you have nuclear terrierism.
posted by adept256 at 3:37 PM on April 16, 2016 [10 favorites]
Until the treaty with the dogs breaks down and you have nuclear terrierism.
posted by adept256 at 3:37 PM on April 16, 2016 [10 favorites]
still waiting for the DNA data storage so I can store all of my cat .gifs on cats.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:45 PM on April 16, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:45 PM on April 16, 2016 [5 favorites]
But in a place where there is radiation, won't the glowing cats be at a huge reproductive disadvantage? at a stroke they'd be less effective hunters and more easily preyed upon. The more they glow, the bigger the disadvantage. So it would get weeded out of the genome in a hurry.
posted by wotsac at 3:56 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by wotsac at 3:56 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
on the other hand, maybe they'd appear more attractive to other kitties? so more breeding options. i mean, consider the score rate of my glow-in-the-dark undies.
or don't.
or, or... maybe we make all kitties glow-in-the-dark. and then exactly because of this effect (them being easy to hunt because they glow in the dark) there are no kitties near radiation and so people know bad things happen there?
or glow-in-the-dark mice too? so more food...
posted by andrewcooke at 4:28 PM on April 16, 2016
or don't.
or, or... maybe we make all kitties glow-in-the-dark. and then exactly because of this effect (them being easy to hunt because they glow in the dark) there are no kitties near radiation and so people know bad things happen there?
or glow-in-the-dark mice too? so more food...
posted by andrewcooke at 4:28 PM on April 16, 2016
I can't hear the title of this without thinking of The Werewolf Solution.
posted by JHarris at 4:50 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 4:50 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Why don't we cut out the middlecat, and just alter the DNA of humans to change color in the presence of radiation? You may look a little strange after some medical imaging tests or radiation treatments, but that temporary cost would be more than offset by other people fleeing your presence. Probably get some time off work, too.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2016 [8 favorites]
"Kitty 2.0 - Glows in the dark so you don't have to!"
posted by quinndexter at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by quinndexter at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
How would Kevin a hen like to glow in the presence of radiation, huh? Think about that, splicer!
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:51 PM on April 16, 2016
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:51 PM on April 16, 2016
I first heard about this on the 99% invisible episode, and not be a buzzkill, but it seems like a terrible idea for one very basic reason: you're assuming that over thousands of years, memetic mutation won't change the message "glowing cats mean something impure/dangerous/evil is nearby" to "glowing cats are impure/dangerous/evil", and thus that glowing cats won't just be avoided and/or killed en masse.
posted by Itaxpica at 7:04 PM on April 16, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Itaxpica at 7:04 PM on April 16, 2016 [7 favorites]
Ok, what if we just make it so we can feel, or hear, or somehow sense radiation ourselves? Birds manage to have entangled electrons in their eyes so they can sense magnetic north, surely we could figure out some way to do it, but with alpha-particles? Or perhaps we could learn to dislike the smell of helium or tritium?
posted by MikeWarot at 7:07 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by MikeWarot at 7:07 PM on April 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'll get right on the glowing cat thing, right after I finish my cat with two heads project. It's going to be great- you can pet the one kitty's head, and then pet the other kitty's head!
posted by happyroach at 8:23 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by happyroach at 8:23 PM on April 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
Midway through Oryx & Crake here, this thread is freaking me out a bit.
posted by Dr Dracator at 9:26 PM on April 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Dr Dracator at 9:26 PM on April 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
Midway through Oryx & Crake here
Then you haven't ? Oh! Prepare to freak out a bit more.
posted by adept256 at 9:37 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
Then you haven't ? Oh! Prepare to freak out a bit more.
posted by adept256 at 9:37 PM on April 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
memetic mutation won't change the message "glowing cats mean something impure/dangerous/evil is nearby" to "glowing cats are impure/dangerous/evil"...
And after that, "Oh it's just an urban myth that glowing cats are evil. That's ridiculous! They're just the result of some early attempts at genetic manipulation; their glowing is not meaningful."
posted by bleep at 11:24 PM on April 16, 2016
And after that, "Oh it's just an urban myth that glowing cats are evil. That's ridiculous! They're just the result of some early attempts at genetic manipulation; their glowing is not meaningful."
posted by bleep at 11:24 PM on April 16, 2016
memetic mutation won't change the message "glowing cats mean something impure/dangerous/evil is nearby" to "glowing cats are impure/dangerous/evil"...
As a cat lover and someone keen on clear communication, I don't think we should go with glowing cats - I think it would be better to have pugs detonate in the presence of radiation.
Firstly, it's a much less ambiguous signal: exploding pug = bad.
And secondly, it's a much more realistic proposal, as dog breeders are willing to do almost anything to pugs - spontaneous jettisoning of eyeballs, impaired airways, back issues, mandatory c-sections, etc., so they'd probably be very keen on it. (The breeders, not the pugs.) The consequences are pretty straightforward: breeders would compete for more and more sensitive dogs, larger and more beautiful explosions, and so on as they push the envelope on the breed standard. Also, every pug would be a service animal.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:07 AM on April 17, 2016 [15 favorites]
As a cat lover and someone keen on clear communication, I don't think we should go with glowing cats - I think it would be better to have pugs detonate in the presence of radiation.
Firstly, it's a much less ambiguous signal: exploding pug = bad.
And secondly, it's a much more realistic proposal, as dog breeders are willing to do almost anything to pugs - spontaneous jettisoning of eyeballs, impaired airways, back issues, mandatory c-sections, etc., so they'd probably be very keen on it. (The breeders, not the pugs.) The consequences are pretty straightforward: breeders would compete for more and more sensitive dogs, larger and more beautiful explosions, and so on as they push the envelope on the breed standard. Also, every pug would be a service animal.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:07 AM on April 17, 2016 [15 favorites]
Can't we do this with, say cockroaches ? Or ants ? Or mosquitoes ?
posted by y2karl at 5:14 PM on April 17, 2016
posted by y2karl at 5:14 PM on April 17, 2016
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posted by Kattullus at 2:23 PM on April 16, 2016 [4 favorites]