I hate when I hear stories of cloning extinct animals. I suppose the woolly mammoth is not a particularly harmful animal to bring back, but what kind of existence will it have in this type of world?
The story I’m complaining about is this: According to the BBC, scientists from Russia’s Siberian mammoth museum and Japan’s Kinki University are attempting to clone a woolly mammoth back into existence.
The scientists intend to do this procedure starting with the bone marrow cells from a woolly mammoth’s thigh bone found in August. According to the site, the thigh has “remarkably well-preserved marrow cells,” and the team over the project say that cloning of the animal could be finished within the next five years.
There is doubt as to whether bringing back an animal such as a mammoth is even feasible. According the article, the team has said they will extract a nucleus from the mammoth’s marrow and insert it into the egg of an African elephant, but the Roslin Institute, which made headlines years ago for their “Dolly the sheep” experiment, stated that it was highly unlikely such a cloning experiment could be successfully completed, especially since an elephant was expected to carry the fetus to term. According to the institute, a cow would be the best fit biologically, but “even here the size difference may preclude gestation to term.” You can read more about the issues surrounding the project at BBC.co.uk.
Personally, I think it’s a horrible idea. Science often does what it shouldn’t do, and this seems to be one of those things. However, what do you think? Give your opinions below.
