Human brain gene spliced into monkeys in controversial study.

Chinese scientists have inserted human brain development genes into the genomes of monkeys and tested their cognitive abilities. The monkeys with the human gene MCPH1 inserted into their brains performed better on memory tests. The study has been criticized for its ethical implications and the use of animals in research. The authors of the study claim that transgenic nonhuman primates have the potential to provide important insights into what makes humans unique and into disorders that are difficult to study by other means.