Scientists have been known to do some not so ethical things over the years in order to get the results they need. In particular, there have been many eyebrows raised and arguments had over animal experiments. From crazy drug experiments, to surgical head switches, scientists seem to make no exception when it comes to science. Take a look at this list of some of the most bizarre scientific experiments involving drugs, surgeries, and things you wouldn’t even imagine done on animals over the years.
1 Robot Monkeys
Image credit: Andrew Schwartz/University of Pittsburg (taken from)
In an order to perform and demonstrate brain-machine interface technology, In 2008, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, used two monkeys with small devices in their brains have learned to control a robotic arm with just their thoughts. They used it to reach for food and even adjust the size and stickiness of morsels when necessary. This experiment was done to shed new light on prosthetic limbs for human patients who can benefit from more high tech artificial limbs.(source)
In 2005, American scientists created a pack of zombie dogs by using technique similar to ‘cryogenation’. The team killed the dogs by flushing all the blood from their bodies. Three hours later, the team gave the dogs a blood transfusion, and electric shock. The dogs were resurrected, and while some had permanent damage, most were fine.(source)
3 Human Ear Grown On MouseImage courtesy: wikipedia user Gobonobo(taken from)
In 1997 American scientists were able to attach a human ear to the back of a mouse. This was done to see if it was possible to grow limbs and organs outside of the human body. Science is moving forward now and testing other resources.(source)
According to University of Pittsburgh’s McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, researchers have conducted a way to scrape the lining of a pig’s bladder, decellulize it, dry it into a powder. They managed to regrow a human finger using this powder. This powder could be the answer for those seeking an answer to lost limbs.(source)
Martin Schein and Edgar Hale of the University of Pennsylvania did an experiment on Turkeys in which they killed a female turkey and slowly removed limbs and body parts until all that was left was a head on a stick. Never did the male turkey lose any sort of sexual interest what was shown to it.(source)
On March 14, 1970, Robert White performed a head transplant on a monkey to out do another surgeon who had already performed a dog head transplant years earlier. Soon after the monkey awoke, it became angry and tried to attack Dr. White. The monkey survived less than two days.(source)
In 2007, South Korean scientists transformed a cat’s DNA to make it glow in the dark and then took that DNA and cloned other cats from it — creating a set of fuzzy glowing toms.(source)
According to Nexia, “Researchers inserted a spiders’ dragline silk gene into the goats’ DNA in such a way that the goats would make the silk protein only in their milk. This “silk milk†could then be used to manufacture a web-like material called Biosteel.â€(source)
9 Rats on EcstasyRats on Ecstasy
A scientific study showed that rats who were given ecstasy (MDMA) demonstrated having more sex while loud bass heavy music was playing while control rats who were also listening to the same music did not demonstrate as much sexual activity.(source)
Unfortunately in 1962 when Tusko the elephant was injected with LSD, he died within two hours. There is much debate about what actually killed him but I’m sure we can all agree that his dying moments were INSANE. However, recently elephants were tested again with LSD in their water with much better results giving hippie elephants like Tusko hope all around the world.(source)
