Photosynthesizing Hamsters? Hybrid Cells Make It Possible

casualSTEM delivers brief and informative summaries of the latest science news every Saturday. Full of jokes, silly polls, and a cartoon!

Hamstersynthesis

If you want to photosynthesize, just add chloroplasts. Researchers created hybrid hamster cells by adding red algae chloroplasts.

• Algae-hamster cells generated energy from food AND sunlight

• Chloroplasts functioned properly for 2 days

• Hybrid cells grew faster than animal cells

Chloroplast-hybrid cells could bolster lab-grown production of meat alternatives and/or organ replacement. Further research will determine the scalability and risks of connecting phylogenetic tree branches. Don’t forget to water your hamster!

Take your succulent for a walk

Catch-up on science in sweatpants