Glowing Green Fish Help Health Researchers

For years, anglers have joked about “glowing” fish harvested near nuclear facilities. Turns out, some fish — specifically those manipulated by scientists — really do illuminate when they ingest pollutants.

A National Geographic News report this week says that scientists have genetically engineered zebra fish so that their internal systems glow green when particular chemicals are present. Those chemicals, called “endocrine disruptors,” are found in industrial products and in female contraceptives, the report states.

Ultimately, the fish should help researchers determine where these disruptors — which often wind up as environmental pollutants — manifest in the human body and how they might affect our health.