Not too long ago in the United Kingdom, a house cat named Oscar lost his two back paws to a combine harvester. His owner's did not want to put him down and began a search for ways to help their kitty. Enter Noel Fitzpatrick, a pioneering vet in Surrey, UK, who developed new prosthetic feet for the beloved pet. Fitzpatrick's custom made feet, designed to imitate the way deer antlers grow through skin, actually connect to the leg in a fashion not dissimilar to ball joints in an action figure. This process ensures that the implant bonds/fuses with the recipient's flesh and does not become infected. Dr. Fitzpatrick's process could conceivably be used to help amputees and veterans the world over, not to mention frisky animals like Oscar.
Screw the implications of the technology, it was enough to see Oscar moving around. Seriously, I almost cried when I saw him scampering around. Actually, that's a lie. I cried. A lot. (Via CalgarySun.com)
Words cannot express what a severe waste of scientific research and resources this is.
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