Frank Swain is a science writer and blogger. He is based in the UK.
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Keep up to date with RSSBlogging is on the back burner at the moment as I'm currently relying on pay-per-mb internet. It's like the dark days of dial-up. Anyway, in the mean time, enjoy this weird apple, which appears to be a chimera (the result of two genetically different individuals fusing very early on in development).
There are lots of examples of this strange mutation around - take a look at this half-blue lobster, for example. Some humans are chimeras - the result of non-identical twins fusing in womb. Their organs can have different origins - skin might have a different DNA makeup to their reproductive system.
Via the Telegraph
Comments
That's an all-blue lobster and a half-red lobster.
This is a (crappy picture of a ) half-blue lobster.
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | October 1, 2009 4:11 PM
Nah! Somebody just taped over one side of the unripe apple to prevent light from reaching it. You can buy black tape stencils to put on apples that, after ripening and peeling off the tape, leave a green design on the red back ground. Here's the other problem with a chimera. Lastly apples are composed of 5 units (carpels)(cut one in half and count), and if they had developed from cells with a different genetic basis, then you might get a 2/5s 3/5s distinction, but not half and half.
Posted by: Dr A | October 1, 2009 5:28 PM
From the headline, I thought this article was going to be about Republicans with environmentally friendly iPods.
Posted by: dwasifar | October 1, 2009 10:41 PM
oh, really? Is the apple really half-red? Unbelievable!
Posted by: baby crib | October 3, 2009 2:34 AM