Mouse with ear on back ‘crippled by paranoia’

Science News: A mouse that gained worldwide fame in 1996 when it had a human ear grown on its back has become crippled by acute paranoia in the years since, scientists have revealed.

“We didn’t expect the mouse to live this long,” said Dr. Wolfgang Feral. “But its long life span – coupled with the endless stream of people peering into its cage and then recoiling in horror – has pushed the mouse into extreme paranoia.”

“We’ve been doing all we can to help,” said Research Assistant Martin Trotts. “We leave the room whenever we talk about it, but it can often see us through the window and I think it’s learnt to lipread. You should see the accusing looks it gives me.”

“We even tried putting an earplug in to calm it down, but it kept on falling out. You can’t sellotape an earplug into a human ear genetically engineered on the back of a mouse – that, of course, would be cruel.”

Story+Image: Simon Swatman