In August 1997, scientist Charles A. Vacanti published a photograph of what became known as the Vacanti mouse
. When taken out of context, the photo appeared to depict a hairless mouse with a human ear growing out of its back. The photo was first spread online, often without proper context, and the peak of its notoriety came in 1999 when a full page ad featuring the mouse was placed in The New York Times, which used the photo to stir up fear about genetic engineering and state that science had gone too far.
Eventually, Vacanti clarified that, while the photo was real, it had nothing to do with genetic engineering or him experimenting with human DNA. The mouse was actually a demonstration of plastic surgery. The 'ear' was a cartilage, which Vacanti created by seeding a biodegradable ear-shaped mold with cow cartilage cells, and molded into shape by a splint after being implanted underneath the skin of the mouse. The purpose of the original experiment was to demonstrate that complex body parts could be physically reconstructed, and an ear was chosen because ear injuries are relatively common.
Even after the commotion died down, the image of the Vacanti Mouse had ingrained itself into the public consciousness, and thus Shout-Outs to the photo began to pop up in pop culture. For writers who want to show that a scientist in their story is mad, immoral, or at the very least eccentric, the Vacanti Mouse turned out to be an excellent visual cue. However, more benevolent examples are also possible, like a scientist who uses Vacanti mouse–esque experiments to grow functional human organs for transplantation.
Sub-Trope of Body Horror and Animal Testing. Compare Furry Ear Dissonance.
Examples:
- In Alexis Rockman's painting The Farm◊, which depicts the development of animals from wild types to future human-modified versions, one of the animals in the "future" part is the Vacanti mouse.
- A Fresh Pair Of Eyes (a Discworld-set fic by A.A. Pessimal) deals with how The Igor of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch goes about cloning replacement eyes for an Assassin student who was blinded in battle. Igor invites the donor of the genetic material he used to clone the new eyes to see his lab. She sees the wonders of Igor biomancy at first hand, and is enthralled and horrified to see a cage full of mice, all of whom have human ears growing from their backs. Igor modestly explains that he does replacement ears, too.
- Towards the end of The Fifth Elephant, a local Igor (a member of a clan of Mad Scientists) shows up with some lab animals, including a rabbit with many human ears growing on it.
- CSI: NY: When Danny and Mac visit a genetics lab in "What Schemes May Come," Danny notices a lab rat with what looks like a human ear growing on its back. One of the researchers explains the technique used to harvest cartilage from someone and place it in an ear-shaped mold before attaching it to a rat's back. It then grows into the form, which can be transplanted back to the person in cases such as injury or deformity.
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: In the June 22, 2014 episode on Dr. Oz and Nutritional Supplements, around 3:14 John Oliver brings up a support group for laboratory mice, complete with a picture showing such a group filled with mice, one of which has a human ear growing on its back.
- In the fourth season Nip/Tuck episode "Burt Landau", returning patient Dawn Budge has her ear (and the attached diamond earring) cut off by a motorcycle riding jewelry thief. Sean and Christian her up to get a replacement ear grown on such a mouse. The mouse unfortunately does not survive the removal operation.
- Referenced in Bob Rivers' parody album ''Chipmunks Roasting On An Open Fire". Before deciding to just eat them, an exasperated "Dave Seville" threatens to sell the Chipmunks to a laboratory, saying 'You want an ear growing out of your back pal?'
- Half-Life: Alyx: The Vacanti Mouse is depicted on Combine propaganda posters decrying the horrors of "human science", alongside other visuals like a mushroom cloud and a syringe pointed at an eye, as part of the Combine's bare-minimum attempt at portraying themselves as a Benevolent Alien Invasion.
- Pink Panther: Hokus Pokus Pink: During the rats music number, there's a brief scene of a rat getting injected with an unknown substance, after which he promptly grows a human ear on his back.
- Telefang: Gamazumi, a small rodent-like Denjuu with a monstrous head implanted onto its back by fleshy tubes, is widely thought to have been inspired by the Vacanti mouse.
- Awful Hospital: In Investigate the lab, there is a cage in the lab with a hairless rat that has a large, human ear-shaped growth on its back. In Test X-ray on the Rat, an X-ray of this same rat is shown.
- Gunnerkrigg Court: Robot's CPU is briefly inserted into the body of a wind-up mouse with an ear-shaped key, referencing this experiment.
- The website Cartoonstock had several cartoons based on the Vacanti mouse:
- This one shows a mouse with an ear on its back telling the scientist who made him that he wants to keep the ear.
- This one shows two mice, one of which has an ear on its back, in a terrarium enjoying dinner, with the regular mouse complimenting its partner for "being a good listener".
- This one has two laboratory mice in a cage, one has an ear on its back while the other has an entire miniature human torso, head, and arms on its back. The mouse with the ear accuses the other of being an overachiever.
- This one shows four mice, all with human ears on their backs. One mouse addresses the others with a speech that opens with "lend me your ears".
- This one
- At the end of The Onion video "Scientists Successfully Teach Gorilla It Will Die Someday", an experiment is mentioned where scientists in Britain try to teach a mouse with an ear grafted to its back "what a freak it is".
- Creature Comforts: A background laboratory mouse has a human ear on its back. The mice explain, accurately, that it's not actually a human ear, but merely cartilage grown to look like a human ear.
- Robot Chicken:
- In a Pinky and the Brain segment from the sketch “The 90's Revisited”, Pinky reveals that he has a giant, gross human ear on his back.
- In the Season 10 episode "Babe Hollytree in: I Wish One Person Had Died", one of the segments is about a lab mouse with a human ear on its back.
- South Park: In "Eek, A Penis!", Mrs. Garrison, who is desperate to have her gender changed back to man again, sees a news report about the Vacanti mouse, which in this universe had an actual, fully functional human ear growing on its back. This gives her an idea to get a replacement penis for the one she lost in the initial sex change operation. She contacts the scientists who made the mouse and has them grow a replacement penis on a mouse in the same manner as the ear. Naturally, the mouse escapes and Mrs. Garrison has to chase after it.
- StuGo: In “Primate Fear”, mutant chimp Bakey Potatey is suing Dr. Lullah, and Merian, acting as his lawyer, is trying to establish that Lullah has a history of reckless experimentation on living subjects. At one point she calls Larry to the stand, and asks to see Larry’s ear… as in the large human ear growing out of his back.
- The Venture Bros.: In "Venture Libre", among the many abominations, mutants, and other freaks that come to the newly formed abomination, there is a rather large white mouse with a large cartilage shaped like a human ear on its back. Dr. Thaddeus Venture briefly examines the creature.
