Not what I normally write about, but this is too amazing to pass up.

Today the BBC announced that a team of Japanese scientists created a fluorescent protein and integrated into monkeys.  This is pretty cool.  But the really exciting thing about this isn't the glow in the dark monkey protein -- although who doesn't want a glow in the dark monkey?!? -- the exciting aspect of the story is the fact that the monkeys mated... and their offspring have the protein in their dna!

This means that hypothetically monkeys in the future could be engineered to carry specific genomes.  Which means that they could be a serious asset in the fight against genetic diseases (like Alzheimers and Parkinsons). 

Now, I know that there are a ton of issues surrounding the testing of monkeys for medical purposes, but it is admittedly exciting nonetheless.