Raves: Cloning the Mammoth

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September 28, 2010

01:27

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Cloning animals has become so commonplace that people are cloning their pets, a crazy Raelian cult pretended to clone a human and everyone is lined up to cryopreserve themselves just in case cloning becomes accepted in the future.

Cloning humans might be pushing the ethical boundaries a bit too far, but what about cloning your dog? Or your favorite hamster? Or a woolly mammoth? The question isn’t why, it’s why not.

I know what you are thinking…sorry to burst your wildest fantasy, but Jurassic Park isn’t possible, the dinosaur DNA is just too old and has long been degraded. You are not getting that Triceratops for your birthday. But a Woolly Mammoth to ride to work might just be enough to soothe your disappointment.

_{Host: Torah Kachur}

_{Photo credits: All photos were gathered from Wikimedia Commons and are copyright free.}

_{References: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0408_050408_woollymammoth.html}

_{http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_news/2009/05/cloning-the-mammoth.html}

YOUR COMMENTS

Ryan Shannon on September 28, 2010

Hrmm, I would have thought that Lyuba would be able to yield a fairly intact DNA sample, given she was frozen and has a large amount of her tissue preserved.

Nevertheless, I'm all for attempting to clone the mammoth - when it comes to cutting-edge science, go big or go home =) Besides, if we can work the kinks out of cloning a mammoth, think of the possibilities concerning recently extinct or highly endangered species (frogs and bees, anyone?).

Chris Buzon on September 28, 2010

Though this almost exactly how Jurassic Park started, I am still all for this. Bringing back creatures that have been gone for millions of years is not high on my list. However, the number that *we* eliminated is not short.
We could start with something like a passenger pigeon. Or fuzzy elephants!...

Chris Buzon on September 28, 2010

Or, as Ryan mentioned - any of the huge number of species we have almost ended. PANDA!

Torah Kachur September 28, 2010

The San Diego Zoo has started an initiative to freeze down cells like sperm from critically endangered species to help in conservation efforts....no news if they have frozen panda cells.

I do know from my trip to China that they have lots of panda sperm frozen. There is no way on earth I will ever let the panda go extinct...all the other species...oh well.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/science/at_the_zoo/the_frozen_zoo/

JonahArk on December 27, 2010

A herd of woolly mammoths grazing on the tundra north of Fairbanks...that has been a dream of mine for years. If I had the extra million$ I would donate.