Lab Creates Speedy, Lean Mighty Mouse

Scientists have made speedy super mice by flipping a genetic switch, reports the Guardian. The mice can run 30 times as far as regular mice, and they live longer and breed later. They also eat 60% more food than average mice but manage to stay leaner and possibly more resistant to cancer, say researchers at Case Western Reserve University.

The genetic modification made the mice produce more energy in their skeletal muscles. And unlike humans or normal mice, these mice burn mostly fatty acids. "This is not something you would do to humans,” says the lead researcher. But he says the study may help scientists understand the link between exercise and the reduced risk of cancer. (More mice stories.)