Read in the Associated Press of the plans of scientists at the Gifu Science and Technology Center and Kinki University to use what they believe to be 20,000 year-old samples of wooly mammoth bone marrow, muscle, and skin harvested from the Siberian tundra to clone a mammoth.
It’ll be years, if ever, before any new mammoths are born. Still pretty interesting. Hmmm… anyone up for a Prehistoric Park movie directed by Spielberg?
Link Link Link?
That would be so. Fucking. Cool.
I’m sure the mammoths are going to be happy about being alive again and all but somewhat less than enthused about global warming.
I saw a documentary a couple of years ago where scientists were looking for mammoth D.N.A. I guess they found it.
I think it would be pretty cool to see a mammoth!
Ever since I first heard about this, I’ve wondered how they are going to keep the thing alive if they ever do clones it. I am not a biologist, and someone correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that every species of grazer-type animal has a very specific ecosystem of bacteria living in their guy, digesting the grasses they eat. Presumably the bacteria that evolved along side mammoths are now extinct and irreplacable. Can they just injectht e things with the bacteria found in elephants nad that will be cloes enough? I supose they could keep a few alive by feeding it pre-digested food, but it puts a damper on the idea of free-range mammoths once again striding across Siberia.
So whatever happened to that mammoth that they excavated in Siberia?
I’ll get excited when they can make little ones we can keep as pets.
I would name my “Tusky”.