Spinal Cord Surgery Allows Mice to Walk Again

Many raise an eyebrow to surgeon Sergio Canavero's claims that he has the potential to perform a human head transplant as a treatment for complete paralysis. His results have yet to be published, so the mystery continues for another day. However, the above New Scientist video shows the movement of mice legs after an experimental surgery to refuse their severed necks. The surgery was reportedly performed by C-Yoon Kim from the Konkuk University School of Medicine in South Korea.

Based on Kim's successful experiments, Canavero believes he can adapt the procedure used on the mice to humans. Kim used a chemical called polyethylene glycol which has clinical applications for a variety of conditions: constipation, neutropenia, and nerve repair. Kim and Canavero utilized polyethylene glycol as a chemical that "preserves nerve cell membranes."