# Scientists Resurrecting Woolly Mammoths



## Gahars (Dec 7, 2011)

I was going to type a long preface relating this story to Jurassic Park, but why waste your time; I'm sure I'll get it in somewhere else. So instead, let's go straight to the science.

*Scientists are going to clone a Woolly Mammoth.*

And here's how they plan to do it.




> ...the scientists plan to replace the nuclei of egg cells from an elephant with nuclei material taken from the marrow cells of the mammoth thigh bone. The scientists believe that with this procedure, they might be able to produce embryos with mammoth DNA which may be implanted into a female elephant for gestation. AFP reports scientists expect the procedure to succeed because elephants and mammoths are closely related species.



Source: Digital Journal (Definitely worth checking out the full article, as it goes into a lot more detail)

And this isn't some far off "Maybe in the far off future" sort of thing, with scientists hoping that the technology to support this is developed. No, we have all we need; with luck, we could have it in five years.

The fact that we can resurrect a species that has been extinct for 5000 or so years is mind blowing. If this succeeds, it will be one of our crowning achievements as a species. Still, the scientists should be careful with the cloned creature; after all, life always seems to find a way.


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## Tom Bombadildo (Dec 7, 2011)

Interesting. I bet in 10-20 years we'll have them in zoos and will be using them as a food source.


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## Nujui (Dec 7, 2011)

Amazing, I wonder if how the mammoth will look since the way it's been cloned, I'm also interested on how it will act.


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## Lacius (Dec 7, 2011)

It won't be the first animal to be brought back from extinction through cloning.


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## DinohScene (Dec 7, 2011)

Sweet!

Hopefully they will make Prehistoric park come true


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## Gahars (Dec 7, 2011)

Lacius said:


> It won't be the first animal to be brought back from extinction through cloning.



True, but the length of time between its extinction and subsequent cloning still makes it significant. Hopefully these mammoths will have better luck surviving long past birth.


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## Nah3DS (Dec 7, 2011)




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## chyyran (Dec 7, 2011)

Yay!

The only downside is that it either dies, or that it goes on a rampage.

Well, of either two, the latter is more likely..

Can't wait to taste Mammoth Steak


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## sputnix (Dec 7, 2011)

sure they get female eggs, then the need to create the male's sperm, then I guess let it grow in an elephant and hope that the chromosome number is correct and has no duplicate chromosomes and then hope it doesn't have any birth defects as the cells have been dead for over 23,000 years. How can they be so optimistic if they can't even clone sheep correctly?


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## Nujui (Dec 7, 2011)

Punyman said:


> Yay!
> 
> The only downside is that it either dies, or that it goes on a rampage.
> 
> ...



How would mammoth even taste like?


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## BrightNeko (Dec 7, 2011)

NahuelDS said:


>



This post made me laugh to hard


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## MEGAMANTROTSKY (Dec 7, 2011)

Lacius said:


> It won't be the first animal to be brought back from extinction through cloning.


If that article you linked to is anything to go by, these projects don't seem to have much success. Well, best of luck to them.

Found this article. Looks like it's worth a read, though it's negative about the prospect of cloning. http://io9.com/5865590/no-we-wont-be-able-to-clone-a-woolly-mammoth-in-the-next-five-years/


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## DiscostewSM (Dec 7, 2011)

Life...uh....find a way.


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## OJClock (Dec 7, 2011)

they've been wanting to do this for years now
no reason to believe it'll actually happen this time


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## DrOctapu (Dec 7, 2011)

That's badass.


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## Thesolcity (Dec 7, 2011)

Gahars said:


> life always seems to find a way.



[yt]5yFmwCZ6Bws[/yt]


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## junkerde (Dec 7, 2011)

Scientists Resurrecting Micheal Jackson more like hahha


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## Helpful Corn (Dec 7, 2011)

They have been cloning the aliens they found for years.


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## Youkai (Dec 7, 2011)

If i understand it correct its NOT a Clining project like some here are talking about but more like "mutating DNA" to make a normal elefant become a mutation that looks like a mammoth.

well should be possible to do and if this does succeed maybe the politicians will finaly allow tests with human cells so that they will really be able to "modify" unborn humans for perfect health and such.


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## Deleted member 473940 (Dec 7, 2011)

Have we not been hearing these sort of news repeatedly over the years -.-?

- Planet with life forms found
- Mammoths being reborn
- Bla bla


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## chris888222 (Dec 7, 2011)

Tanveer said:


> Have we not been hearing these sort of news repeatedly over the years -.-?
> 
> - Planet with life forms found
> - Mammoths being reborn
> - Bla bla


Actually really true.

And... 

Tanveer you're back!?!?!?


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## Sora de Eclaune (Dec 7, 2011)

They'll send these so-called "mammoths" to the icy regions as their habitat once was, and then they'll say they're endangered because of global warming.

Why are they trying to "clone" mammoths, that live in a COLD environment, when global WARMING is supposedly still around?


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## Sayargh (Dec 7, 2011)

Humans - The cause of and the solution to... all of natures problems.

Seriously it would be awesome if we could undo the extinction of animals we've caused... especially the Dodo. If they can bring back the mammoth they can bring a dodo back.


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## Depravo (Dec 7, 2011)

Sora de Eclaune said:


> They'll send these so-called "mammoths" to the icy regions as their habitat once was, and then they'll say they're endangered because of global warming.
> 
> Why are they trying to "clone" mammoths, that live in a COLD environment, when global WARMING is supposedly still around?


Global warming is now obsolete. It got upgraded to 'climate change'.


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## SamAsh07 (Dec 7, 2011)

Read it days ago on Gizmodo, I don't see the cloning happening sucessfully, like the Pyrenean Ibex, it'll probably live for afew minutes and die from some kind of defect. Scientists are no gods, you can't "bring to life" an extinct species completely.

*@chris888222 - Yes he is back.*


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## wasim (Dec 7, 2011)

SamAsh07 said:


> Read it days ago on Gizmodo, I don't see the cloning happening sucessfully, like the Pyrenean Ibex, it'll probably live for afew minutes and die from some kind of defect. Scientists are no gods, you can't "bring to life" an extinct species completely.
> 
> *@chris888222 - Yes he is back.*



you're back too ??


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## Foxi4 (Dec 7, 2011)

Isn't this old news? I read about that in New Scientist about 2-3 months ago...


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## SamAsh07 (Dec 7, 2011)

wasim said:


> SamAsh07 said:
> 
> 
> > Read it days ago on Gizmodo, I don't see the cloning happening sucessfully, like the Pyrenean Ibex, it'll probably live for afew minutes and die from some kind of defect. Scientists are no gods, you can't "bring to life" an extinct species completely.
> ...


Lol temporarily, yes!  Free for afew weeks.


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## Pyrmon (Dec 7, 2011)

SamAsh07 said:


> wasim said:
> 
> 
> > SamAsh07 said:
> ...


While on the subject, I'm also back.



Youkai said:


> If i understand it correct its NOT a Clining project like some here are talking about but more like "mutating DNA" to make a normal elefant become a mutation that looks like a mammoth.
> 
> well should be possible to do and if this does succeed maybe the politicians will finaly allow tests with human cells so that they will really be able to "modify" unborn humans for perfect health and such.


They aren't mutating DNA. They are using the cloning technique we've been using for years. Implanting the genes you want to duplicate into a zygote, replacing the original nuclei.


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## chris888222 (Dec 7, 2011)

SamAsh07 said:


> wasim said:
> 
> 
> > SamAsh07 said:
> ...


Wow holy s**t. I thought you all were gone forever!


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## Veho (Dec 7, 2011)

Youkai said:


> If i understand it correct its NOT a Clining project like some here are talking about but more like "mutating DNA" to make a normal elefant become a mutation that looks like a mammoth.


No, it's cloning. They're taking a nucleus from the cell of an actual mammoth. Actual mammoth DNA and all.


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## Hadrian (Dec 7, 2011)

Its neat and all but why?

I mean if chicken suddenly dies out because of something then yeah sure resurrect them as they are a very cheap and easy food source, horses are great for transport, work etc for places that can't afford fuel. Mammoths...maybe help build stuff in the Antarctica?


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## Valwin (Dec 7, 2011)

Hadrian said:


> Its neat and all but why?
> 
> I mean if chicken suddenly dies out because of something then yeah sure resurrect them as they are a very cheap and easy food source, horses are great for transport, work etc for places that can't afford fuel. Mammoths...maybe help build stuff in the Antarctica?




why ? because we can thats why we are GODS now


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## Veho (Dec 7, 2011)

Hadrian said:


> Its neat and all but why?


Conservation effort. You might as well ask why we have zoos, since they're just a bunch of freeloading furry bums mooching free food and shelter off of people.


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## Depravo (Dec 7, 2011)

Veho said:


> a bunch of freeloading furry bums mooching free food and shelter off of people.


Sounds like me.


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## Deleted User (Dec 7, 2011)

" In the 19990s when the idea was first conceived, scientists were uncertain of how to safely extract DNA from frozen tissues"
Lovely Typo Right There.


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## Hadrian (Dec 7, 2011)

Veho said:


> Hadrian said:
> 
> 
> > Its neat and all but why?
> ...



We only have zoos to make money and to educate. Conservation comes later when guilt hits.

I guess education could be a decent enough reason to have these creatures back but how are we sure that they will act 100% like the actual creatures? I mean its not like they're actual clones.

Still I wish them the best but as long as these things are treated right and not just going to be placed back into a ecosystem that rejected them years ago.


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## Foxi4 (Dec 7, 2011)

Valwin said:


> Hadrian said:
> 
> 
> > Its neat and all but why?
> ...



Alright. Create life then. I will give you a lump of carbon, please do create carbon-based life out of it.


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## Valwin (Dec 7, 2011)

Foxi4 said:


> Valwin said:
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> > Hadrian said:
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 lol if you would study you would know that to create life you need all the ingredients  even do carbon is one of them you still needs lots more


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## Foxi4 (Dec 7, 2011)

For centuries scientists attempted to create life using all ingredients you mentioned and noone succeeded yet, what's your point?

I spoke only of carbon because carbon is the most common element in our body, that's why organisms that inhabit earth are called carbon-based and YOU would know that if you studied. You'd also learn how to spell and build grammatically correct sentences.

"God" is a concept of an Artisan, a Creator. We, humans, can *copy* at best. We learn laws of nature and use them in our inventions, but we do not "create" anything per-say - the laws of nature are already "there", we're only making use of them via analyzing them and the connections and interactions between them. That has a pretty word dedicated for it - it's science.


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## Veho (Dec 7, 2011)

Hadrian said:


> I guess education could be a decent enough reason to have these creatures back but how are we sure that they will act 100% like the actual creatures? I mean its not like they're actual clones.


Baby mammoths probably learned their behaviour from the rest of the herd, similar to baby elephants. So it would have to be brought up in an elephant herd or at least with the surrogate mother present (otherwise they'd end up with an undeveloped seven-ton retard). It will end up acting like a modern day elephant. How close is that to the behaviour of the actual mammoths? Not very close but not too far either. Good enough for what is technically a hairy elephant anyway.


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## alidsl (Dec 7, 2011)

Nujui said:


> Punyman said:
> 
> 
> > Yay!
> ...


chicken


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## impizkit (Dec 7, 2011)

There are better ways to spend money. This is a plan destined to fail, just like the ibex. And Veho, you made me laugh hard at the 7 ton retard bit.


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## Foxi4 (Dec 7, 2011)

impizkit said:


> There are better ways to spend money. This is a plan destined to fail, just like the ibex.



That's not entirely true. If this works out, it's entirely possible that all worries about "endangered species" may be a thing of the past, since we would be able to re-create their populations. Admittedly with a limited genepool, but it's a start.


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## impizkit (Dec 7, 2011)

Foxi4 said:


> impizkit said:
> 
> 
> > There are better ways to spend money. This is a plan destined to fail, just like the ibex.
> ...


We are trying to play god by doing this, and that is not something that should be attempted lightly.


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## Valwin (Dec 7, 2011)

Foxi4 said:


> For centuries scientists attempted to create life using all ingredients you mentioned and noone succeeded yet, what's your point?
> 
> I spoke only of carbon because carbon is the most common element in our body, that's why organisms that inhabit earth are called carbon-based and YOU would know that if you studied. You'd also learn how to spell and build grammatically correct sentences.
> 
> "God" is a concept of an Artisan, a Creator. We, humans, can *copy* at best. We learn laws of nature and use them in our inventions, but we do not "create" anything per-say - the laws of nature are already "there", we're only making use of them via analyzing them and the connections and interactions between them. That has a pretty word dedicated for it - it's science.




we are gods in the sense that we can bring back species from extinction thats god like  no longer will exticion mark the end of species on the planet


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## philip11 (Dec 7, 2011)

wow I have known about this for Months since febuary I think so your kinda late.


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## Gahars (Dec 7, 2011)

philip11 said:


> wow I have known about this for Months since febuary I think so your kinda late.



It seems like the majority of people hadn't heard about it, so it seems that this news (whenever it was announced) had been seriously under reported.


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## philip11 (Dec 7, 2011)

Gahars said:


> philip11 said:
> 
> 
> > wow I have known about this for Months since febuary I think so your kinda late.
> ...


My dads a microbiologist so that could have something to do with it.


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## alidsl (Dec 8, 2011)

Valwin said:


> Foxi4 said:
> 
> 
> > For centuries scientists attempted to create life using all ingredients you mentioned and noone succeeded yet, what's your point?
> ...


But we exist, therefore we aren't gods


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## Valwin (Dec 8, 2011)

alidsl said:


> Valwin said:
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> > Foxi4 said:
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:3  i mean gods in the sense of mythology as a creature that creates life or bring back stuff from the death


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## Tom Bombadildo (Dec 8, 2011)

Valwin said:


> alidsl said:
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> > Valwin said:
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Stop right there.

We aren't gods. A god is a supernatural being conceived as being perfect and the creator of life. We aren't creating life, we are manipulating it. We aren't making a new form of life, we are changing a current form by introducing foreign DNA to a nuclei.


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## Valwin (Dec 8, 2011)

suprgamr232 said:


> Valwin said:
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> > alidsl said:
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>:| depends on what god your talking about geez  also nothing is perfect  been perfect is impossible


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## nando (Dec 8, 2011)

i better not catch it eating my lawn!!!


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## Tom Bombadildo (Dec 8, 2011)

Valwin said:


> suprgamr232 said:
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> > Valwin said:
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No, no it doesn't. All gods in any given religion are considered perfect beings unless rendered imperfect by another god. Just stop your argument now before this thread closes.


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## Valwin (Dec 8, 2011)

also i few years back i hear they were try to do the same to another animal the
* Thylacine*


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## AlanJohn (Dec 8, 2011)

This is the plot of Ice Age 5.


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## RikuCrafter (Dec 8, 2011)

Wooo!!
I love Mammoths


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## Nalmontes (Dec 8, 2011)

Hooray for Science!


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