Now, I’ve read, researched and written a lot of weird things in my life, but this latest news item really takes the chocolate cake. The headline would catch the eye of a person with acute cataracts: Scientists Use Dye Found in Doritos to Make Mice Transparent. Pardon?? So, of course, after spotting that headline, I rushed right out and bought some Doritos. And a mouse.
Just kidding about the mouse part, haha, but I did, in fact, snag a bag of Nacho Doritos crisps. (And those of you with an international flair will know that “crisps” are British for “chips”; although when the British say “chips” they are actually speaking French because they actually mean “French fries”.)
So pardon me whilst I snack a little bit during reporting on this important and deeply strange research. According to many sources gleefully reporting this “scientific magic trick” an assistant physics professor named Dr. Zihao Ou conducted a study at Standford University whereupon Dorito dust was rubbed on a mouse and you could suddenly see through it! Really?? I know, right?
Actually, put more scientifically, the Yellow 5 food coloring used in Doritos and cosmetics and other foods and drugs – which is called tartrazine - was mixed with water and when it was applied to the mouse’s skin, you can see through the mouse skin. You could clearly look at its little insides and muscles and other bodily guck. Isnbap thjop iincrrraodpile…
Oops, sorry about that last sentence, I had Dorito dust on my finger tips and licked them and they kind of slipped off the typing keys. I went away and washed my hands, and now I’m back. (Don’t worry; I placed the magical mouse munchies safely in the bottom drawer of my desk.) Thing is, I checked very carefully before I washed and my orangey-yellow slimy tartrazine fingertips were definitely not see-through. And, like everyone else, I’ve gobbled yellow food dye on chip/crisps before without becoming transparent. Which leads to the question that immediately comes to mind: “Do all scientists chow down on Doritos in their laboratories?” Probably, but of course the real question is: “Can this be used to see inside of humans?”
Before you start rubbing Doritos all over that sore knee of yours, you should know that the answer is “Unfortunately, no.” Even though the dye is “biocompatible for living organisms” (which is science-speak for “safe”) human skin is ten times thicker than the skin of a mouse and no one knows how much yellow food dye would be needed to make a person’s skin into a window. Also, I figure most humans have a little less fur than mice, so maybe that’s a factor.
But there’s no doubt that the ability to make human skin transparent would alter the medical world significantly. Just think how that would change your visit to the doctor’s office: Doctor: “You’re having a few stomach issues? Here just rub some of this on your abdomen and I’ll go get my magnifying glass.” On the downside, see-through humans would not be very popular in nudist colonies.
Scientists say in technical terms, putting Yellow 5 food dye on skin makes it see-though is because of voodoo. Also they say the tartrazine absorbs incoming light which means less light is refracted and this makes the skin appear opaque. Or something like that. They say the effect is temporary and when the Dorito dye is rubbed off the mice become just regular ole mice again, without the Harry Potter invisible cloak skin type.
But now I have to close. A half bag of tartrazine covered Doritos is calling my name. Oh, I’m not that hungry, I just want to see if it works on the cat.
Harley Hay is a Red Deer author and filmmaker. Reach out to Harley with any thoughts or ideas at harleyhay99@gmail.com.
