Return of the Woolly Mammoth due 'within five years'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...row-years.html

Woolly mammoth to be brought back to life from cloned bone marrow 'within five years'

- Thigh bone discovered in permafrost soil of Siberia
- Contains elusive undamaged genes essential for nucleus transplantation
- Nuclei of elephant's egg cells will be replaced with mammoth's marrow DNA
- Embryo will then be planted into elephant womb for gestation

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...99_468x286.jpg

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Originally Posted by Mail

Scientists believe it may be possible to clone a woolly mammoth within five years after finding well-preserved bone marrow in a thigh bone recovered from permafrost soil in Siberia. Teams from Russia's Sakha Republic's mammoth museum and Japan's Kinki University will launch fully-fledged joint research next year aiming to recreate the giant mammal, Japan's Kyodo News reported from Yakutsk, Russia. By replacing the nuclei of egg cells from an elephant with those taken from the mammoth's marrow cells, embryos with mammoth DNA can be produced, Kyodo said, citing the researchers.

The scientists will then plant the embryos into elephant wombs for delivery as the two species are close relatives, the report said. Securing nuclei with an undamaged gene is essential for the nucleus transplantation technique, it said. For scientists involved in the research since the late 1990s, finding nuclei with undamaged mammoth genes has been a challenge. Mammoths became extinct about 10,000 years ago. But the discovery in August in Siberia has increased the chances of a successful cloning.

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Not quite sure what to make of it really, most of the 'corrections' we humans do to nature usually make the problem we created even worse (for example when we decide to return woodland to its 'original habitat' and end up destroying one habitat for another which takes decades to correct itself, if it ever does). Interesting though, I wonder if re-introduction of the Mammoth into Siberia would pose any threats to wildlife already there? if not, then perhaps its an idea. But then again, nature always always suprises us.

Thoughts? bring back the Mammoth or not?

No it's extinct. I'm sure we'd all love to bring back people we've lost but we can't do that and god forbid the consequences if there was the technology available to do so. Don't see why that can't be extended to animals as well.

omg Jurassic Park. Very interesting stuff but I can't honestly see that we'll benefit from having them around... unless they're going to be massively farmable for a good range of products on the cheap

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Originally Posted by FlyingJesus

omg Jurassic Park.

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This was my first thought, well rather the epic theme tune to Jurassic Park.

I believe Mammoths should be brought back at first just in captivity until a suitable habitat can be decided so that ecological risks can be minimised.

Scary mammoths in the wild :O
No thanks

The Elephant mother of the mammoth will think it's hard a were-ellie

I don't see the harm, this creature died out due to humanities abuse, not from any other natural abuse, fair enough if it died from being attacked by sabertooths, but it didn't it was attacked by us.

Siberia is a bitter land, and it will possibly offer lively hood to the little natives who live there if these animals where reintroduced and boomed quickly, and it would be a fantastic, if not quite supernatural, religious groups will no doubt hate with all this spouted "We are messing with the powers of god" bull ****.

Mammoth skin coat anyone? Mammoth skin rug?

Should be good to see how volatile they are.

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Originally Posted by Oleh

Mammoth skin coat anyone? Mammoth skin rug?

Should be good to see how volatile they are.

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Not for at least fifty years, they'd need to get population numbers WAAAY up before they did something like that. Would be very cool/chic though.

We just need to genetically **** something up and create dragons and then we have skyrim if the world goes all post-apocalyptic

They went extinct for a reason.

I'm against it. They'll ruin a food web somehow.

I'm fairly certain they can only be brought back because they're so similar to elephants, they're main (And only?) difference is their fur which I doubt has the power to ruin a food web.

I'm pretty sure only predators have the power to ruin the food web, and these were gentle giants, the only possible influence would be a boost in whatever hunted them, but I hardly think they'll be hunted by nature for a few years, and I hardly think nature will have the smarts to hunt them as they are lost and forgotten, they will roam and eat grass, like elephants do...

Poor grass, I hope it doesn't die out from their existence and what not.

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Originally Posted by Ajthedragon

They went extinct for a reason.

I'm against it. They'll ruin a food web somehow.

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Completely agree. It comes hand in hand with evolution really so there's little point reintroducing it to the wild. However I wouldn't have an issue with keeping it in captivity as, it doesn't know any better, it won't have the potential to ruin ecosystems and the scientific possibilities are fantastic.

Mammoth burgers anyone?

Also I think we can safely say "good-bye" to all those living in that part of Asia...

Oh Em Gee! Is this real? I want to find one.

This is really interesting. I can't see any major problems with them being brought back to life.

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Originally Posted by Vigas

Oh Em Gee! Is this real? I want to find one.

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How on earth are you going to find it?

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Originally Posted by Jurv

This is really interesting. I can't see any major problems with them being brought back to life.

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Yep. No major problems apart from upsetting the whole food chain. The consumers have already adapted to its environment without mammoths and if they are brought back, the consumers will have to grow specific traits again to the ever-changing environment.

I wouldn't want them back tbh, I can imagine they would cause lots of problems and idk I just don't think it would be right! :p

This is just fantastic and I can't help but feel lucky to be living in a time where this is possible. If a mammoth was reintroduced, it would be one more thing to add to my bucket list!

I absolutely hope they can do dinosaurs.

WOW, I hope they manage to do it successfully!

can you shave em without killing em? like a sheep.

On one hand, I would like to see if it's actually possible but on the other, they're extinct so why try and bring them back..?

If they are brought back, i very doubt they will be introduced into the wild for many years at the very least.

Even if they don't get brought into the wild, should be very interesting to see this being done.

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Originally Posted by Shar

On one hand, I would like to see if it's actually possible but on the other, they're extinct so why try and bring them back..?

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I think there's a couple of reasons. One I think is just the pure wow factor that it is possible which could then generate money for tourism to wherever it is held. Second is that if they can do it for 2 animals that are very close then they might try it with dinosaurs in some reptiles of sorts and slowly branch away until it starts to not work. Third is that they can then examine the animal and see for sure the details of it, along with anything else they may try this on.

I can imagine now, the mammothfetusoutgrowing the elephant and ripping it open from the inside out.

Would it not die or be incredibly uncomfortable in the climate the earth now has? Most animals go extinct because of the climate they once lived in has changed drastically. As lovely as it would be, I'm sure it's animal cruelty to force a once extinct animal to live for the benefit of pleasing a load of scientists. The benefits are literally for the scientists - to prove they're capable of something. The Mammoth doesn't seem to have any benefits of being "brought back to life." In short, it seems it is being done for selfish reasons, rather than to bring back a creature that died naturally.

Amazing, but a tiny bit pointless. They should be trying this with animals that went extinct due to the interventions of man.

Be amazing if they returned, look scary though

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

Would it not die or be incredibly uncomfortable in the climate the earth now has? Most animals go extinct because of the climate they once lived in has changed drastically. As lovely as it would be, I'm sure it's animal cruelty to force a once extinct animal to live for the benefit of pleasing a load of scientists. The benefits are literally for the scientists - to prove they're capable of something. The Mammoth doesn't seem to have any benefits of being "brought back to life." In short, it seems it is being done for selfish reasons, rather than to bring back a creature that died naturally.

Amazing, but a tiny bit pointless. They should be trying this with animals that went extinct due to the interventions of man.

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I was under the impression that the woolly mammoth was hunted to extinction?

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Originally Posted by The Don

I was under the impression that the woolly mammoth was hunted to extinction?

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There's no evidence of how they died. At the moment it's between the Big Freeze and Man. One study suggests it died due to a change in the environment and the loss of genetic diversity.

iTWire - Study says wooly mammoth died from environment and loss of diversity

An interesting read. There was a programme on television a few years ago that discussed extinction and it's believed many animals became extinct because of the environment rather than man - man being a bit useless at hunting and the lack of weapons. It's a huge discussion :P

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Originally Posted by The Don

I was under the impression that the woolly mammoth was hunted to extinction?

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Climate change reduced their habitat by about 90%, the mammoth population was genetically 'bottlenecked' as the mammoths in any one area are more genetically similar than mammoths born and living much further away. Genetic bottleneck results in poor genetic diversity which means the entire population is more likely to succumb to the same environmental factor (usually disease) though in this case it looks like humans also weakened the population further with hunting.

My Dad has just told me that an expert on the BBC has said there's only a 1-5% chance of this working because the elephant and Mammoth are so completely different. Shame really! :(

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Originally Posted by Mathew

My Dad has just told me that an expert on the BBC has said there's only a 1-5% chance of this working because the elephant and Mammoth are so completely different. Shame really! :(

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That sucks, [@]@-:undertaker:-[/@] got me excited then :(