Scientists Potentially Able to Clone Mammoths In Near Future

[Harthan]

Source: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-japan-russia-chance-clone-mammoth.html

The basic mechanism by which scientists have been attempting to clone mammoths over the last twenty years or so has been to get the egg out of an elephant and replace its nucleus with one taken from mammoth bone marrow. The challenge her has been to find well preserved mammoth marrow suitable for transplanting into an elephant egg. Once such an egg was produced, an elephant could deliver the baby mammoth, since the species are closely related.

So the big story today is that a group of scientists found a really well preserved thigh bone in Siberia that might have marrow good enough to be used for cloning. The researchers will begin work next year on an attempt restore mammoths to our world. Somewhat ironically, it was global warming that made this find possible, since it thawed ground in Siberia that is normally much too frozen to dig in.

Personally, I think this is really cool stuff. Can you imagine seeing a real mammoth in a zoo somewhere? It'd just be really mindblowing to see science resurrect a species dead for 10,000 years. I can't wait to see where this research goes.

 

[Amarillo del Bosque Verde]

This. Is. Awesome. If they are able to recreate an actual Mammoth, that would be amazing. Just being able to see it at a zoo would be great. My only concern is would could happen if they're released into the wild. How much damage could they cause? And could they disrupt the food chain wherever they're released?

 

[Dagger Dias]

I think it would be awesome to be able to see a mammoth, even if he/she has been cloned. They have been gone for thousands of years and if they can succeed with this it would be an amazing opportunity to learn about a fascinating species that no living human being has ever seen before outside of documentaries and generated images. I hope it works out because if it works for mammoths, then who knows what other species we might be able to bring back in the future too? I'll surely follow updates to this story as they become available. The real question is if they would be able to survive in today's world. Climate issues and food chain issues would quickly become apparent.

 

[Captain Morgan Freeman]

I remember my Biology teacher telling me that they were working on this in my final year of school about 2 years ago. I had forgotten about it since then but i think it's amazing that they aren't far from pulling it off. I find it remarkable that we can basically "revive" an animal that died out over 10,000 years ago. I can only imagine how much this is going to be rubbed into Al Gore's face due to global warming making this whole thing possible.

To answer Amarillo's question they wont be released into the wild. The ethics behind it prevents them from doing so. It's pretty much illegal unless they can 100% prove that they could release Mammoth's into the wild without them upsetting the natural habitat of said area. For all we know the Mammoth's could end up killing the other animals in their environment and upsetting the food chain. Scientists have previously developed foods with more beneficial effects(e.g more vitamins) but they are unable to grow them in the wild since they don't fully know how it may effect the habitat.

No doubt if they manage to pull it off though there will be a number of zoo's where Mammoth's will be on display to the public. I can see it being quite the cash cow in the future.

 

[chynaricks]

I have been reading a lot about this topic.It was reported that Japan and Russia have agreed to interact in an effort to clone a mammoth by 2017.However,researchers question whether it is ethical to re-create a species that is extinct – both from a standpoint of humane treatment and a standpoint of medical ethics. There are strong arguments on both sides, and as researchers continue their work, the final deadline for decision and action will soon come.I believe this will be a massive achievement in the world of science but it's kinda terrifying. I've read the article here: http://www.newsytype.com/13798-clone-wooly-mammoth/

 

[King Hobo]

This would be great! Wouldn't it be great if they could sustain mammoth populations high enough so the could be hunted! I would put it on my bucket list to hunt mammoth with a spear like early man probably never really did.

It'd be cool if they could even restore it's prehistoric killing nature.

 

[Suibon]

OK, so presumably scientists can now clone extinct creatures. But one question is left hanging in the freezing air: what for? Suppose that they succeed in cloning another life: what then? This might be my Christianity tooting its horn right here, but is there any point to this other than 'oy yay we did it!!!!'? ​

 

[H33LTurn]

It'd be cool to see but I wouldnt like that thing to be running around in the wild. Look at the size of that tusk!

 

[LoudClearVoice]

This would be awesome if they can pull it off. It's been several months now so has anyone heard any updates on this? I am not familiar with the process but I'm sure it takes several months, even years, to actually pull off.

If they can do this, the sky is the limit (provided of course that it works, and that they can find DNA from other extinct creatures).

 

[The ShIT Factor]

God, that would be so freakin' epic. Only one problem, do they know what it eats and can they feed and support them? If yes, then thats incredible. If no, then at least they tried.

 

[ABMorales787]

Sounds more like a form of genetic reconfiguration than actual cloning to me. Just as long as they don't try stuff like this with dinosaurs. We don't need a real life Jurassic Park. The one in Island Of Adventure will do.

 

[Loveless]

They'd be hunted to fuck for their rarity if they were ever released into the wild. Little point in creating something if you can't protect it.