I’m a Scientist is like school science lessons meet the X Factor! School students choose which scientist gets a prize of $1000 to communicate their work.
Scientists and students talk on this website. They both break down barriers, have fun and learn. But only the students get to vote.
This zone is the Disease Zone. It has scientists studying the causes and processes of illness . Who gets the prize? YOU decide!
I hope you won’t be upset with me, but the answer is yes. Unfortunately for some studies the mice will have a little bit of pain. Most of that is just a needle prick to inject something, so they feel the same as what you feel if you get an injection.
But what you need to realize is that us scientists cannot to animal research without getting permission first from a specific ethics committee. They decide first if what you want to do with the animal is worth the pain and stress you are causing the animal.
But also, realize that every single piece of medication, from an aspirin to drugs that we use to fight cancer, have been tested on animals. There is just no way around it, because we cannot test everything out on humans. It’s dangerous!
But be assured that a lot of researchers do their absolute best to be nice to the animals they work with and reduce their suffering as much as we can. We need to, legally. Sometimes I treat my mice to some sunflower seeds after an injection.
I don’t like working with animals and hurting them, but at this stage, it’s the only way we can do the research we do.
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