Jurassic Park for Real? - Cloning Extinct Animals
Ranked #680 in Education, #15,887 overall
Cloning the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger
Geneticists have cloned sheep, horses, cats and dogs. The next step it seems is to bring back the dead. Scientists are currently working on resurrecting through cloning an animal extinct since 1936. The Australian Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was hunted to extinction 73 years ago, but now geneticists think they can bring back the fierce predator using DNA from stuffed museum specimens.
"Bringing back an extinct creature would unlock the door to progress. Who knows what other 'impossible' things may be on the other side?"
~Michael Archer
Cloning Project Background
The project is headed by evolutionary biologist Michael Archer, dean of science at the University of New South Wales in Australia. In collaboration with colleagues at Australian universities and U.S. genetics labs, Archer hoped to bring this carnivourous marsupial back from extinction using DNA from an infant female preserved in alcohol since 1866.Part of the difficulty lies in restoring the degraded DNA, in fact Archer's first team failed to extract quality DNA from the infant female and the project was scrapped in February 2005. But with a new team, new technology and a new strategy to recover genes from the bones and teeth of thylacines in museum specimens the project was revived again in October 2005.
If Archer's new team can figure out how to restore degraded DNA there is a chance the Tasmanian tiger could live again. What's next...the Woolly Mammoth? Actually that's not so far fetched...in fact there are projects underway to clone the mammoth as well as the Spanish bucardo goat.
How to Clone an Extinct Animal
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Obtain Sample DNA:
Find cells from the animal's tissue, bones, teeth, hair, etc.. Then extract the DNA from the cell's nucleus. -
Rebuild Genome:
Reassemble the DNA of the extinct animal using the genome of a related living animal as a guide. In the tiger's case that is the Tasmanian devil. -
Swap DNA:
Remove the ovarian eggs of the related animal and replace their nuclei with the restored genetic material from the extinct animal. -
Zap the Eggs:
Fuse the nuclei with the eggs and trigger cell devision by shocking them with electric current or treating them with chemicals. -
Implant the Embryos:
When the embyos have grown to 200 cells in size transfer them into the womb of the related animal for gestation. -
Delivery:
The surrogate mother gives birth. The extinct species is reborn once again. It is scientists hope that the necessary survival skills will be coded into its genes.
Further Reading About the Tasmanian Tiger
Woolly Mammoth: Back Again?
Jarkov mammoth may be the key
In 1999, French polar explorer Bernard Buigues and mammoth experts Dick Mol and Larry Agenbroad unearthed a 23,000 pound block of permafrost containing the remains of a woolly mammoth near the Bolchaya Balakhnya River in Siberia.Scientists were hopeful that the block of frozen earth would yield an intact mammoth carcass. The possibility led a number of genetic research facilities around the world to propose extracting DNA from the soft tissues of the extinct creature with the goal of cloning it back to life.
Unfortunately for those scientists interested in cloning the mammoth there was very little soft tissue and bone remaining. As in the case of the Tasmanian tiger there was just too little quality DNA to give cloning much of a chance.
But if scientists can discover a technique to restore degraded DNA the first major hurdle in cloning the mammoth will be overcome. That would just leave several other unknown factors including the gestation period of the mammoth. Will it match that of the Asian elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative? Not to mention there is a bit of a size difference between the woolly mammoth and the Asian elephant; what kind of problems will this cause for the surrogate mother?
All in all the odds are currently stacked against a successful clone, but with the ever expanding developments in genetics some day in the next 20-30 years there might just be woolly mammoth rides at your local zoo.
Woolly Mammoth Fact and Fiction
More info on the woolly mammoth for your reading pleasure
What should we do about cloning?
With each breakthrough in cloning research comes increased controversy. Should we be messing with nature? On one hand there may be a great number of discoveries that lead to better health or the preservation of endangered species, on the other hand there is a great moral dilemma involved when anyone mentions human cloning.
Join the Cloning Debate
Let the battle begin!
Since I've created this little page on cloning extinct animals I've had some comments from several people voicing their opinion on the merits or morals of cloning. And the above poll results show that not everyone is very keen on the idea of cloning especially when it involves human cloning.
So let's start a little debate so all voices can be heard. Is cloning the future and will it lead to many improvements in life? Or, is cloning something better left alone, something that may lead to the end of humans on earth?
How do you feel about cloning?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byCloning is the future deal with it!
James says:
i think stuff like cloning and tampering with animal's genetics is a certain thing we should put aside until we have better technology.... and until we can afford it. Sure, it may just be the answer to saving endangered species and bringing back dead ones, but lets get a little realistic. With the cost of cloning being at over $25,000, we wont be able to bring back very many at one time. So i say: the cloning of large animals, and reincarnating dead species is somthing to stay in the movies.
Posted January 31, 2012
kitty222 says:
It's got some promise but, like most technology, we need to be careful about how we use it. I'm okay with using it to, say, bring Fido back to life.
Posted January 13, 2012
firexis is a treehugger says:
I agree with hysongdesigns and I have to do a report too. And we are trying to fix our mistakes, not become god,firexis.
Posted January 03, 2012
hysongdesigns says:
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this; messing around with nature is not something I think we should be doing. However, mankind has caused the extinction of quite a few animals in the past 100-200 years and it would be kind of cool to be able to bring them back to life; just that would they have any quality habitat to live in?
Posted November 26, 2011
martha says:
I think cloning is a great way to learn more about extinct species that we didn't know much about.
Posted November 16, 2011
Cloning is an unnatural abomination!
sousababy says:
I feel that it is something we shouldn't interfere with . . creating a life is a huge responsibility (whether human or animal). We may not know all the ramifications of it: disease, food-chain balance, eco-systems, over-population or perhaps some genetic disruption to already evolved species. I am 'all for' saving extinct animals . . but I'm not sure cloning is the answer. Could be a Pandora's box . . .
Posted January 17, 2012
Francis says:
I think Cloning has much potential to be gained, there is also alot of dangers and risks. Mostly on the clones, if they even survive. The process is too unefficient, and it takes up so much government money to fund the research that only succeeds less than 3% of the time.
Posted August 20, 2011
CanAnybodySing says:
While there are some benfits to cloning, it is also treading in dangerous waters. What if we accidentally create something that goes viral?
Posted August 10, 2011
Firexis says:
cloning is stupid!!! why do they want to clone species? do they want to replace God as them who wants to "create" there own species? it is not the animal's fault why they are extinct, it is our fault!!! they keep killing animals,destroying there habitats and even polluting the world...
so, BLAME THE ONES WHO KILL NATURE!!!
Posted August 06, 2011
Shadrosky says:
I agree with Alexa, messing with nature is a bit sinister and even foreboding in terms of what could potentially happen.
Posted August 06, 2011
More Info on Woolly Mammoth and Thylacine Cloning
Tasmanian Tigers and Woolly Mammoths galore!
- Tasmanian Tiger Cloning Breakthrough
- An article from the Australian Museum Online written in 2002 about Micheal Archer's Tasmanian Tiger cloning project.
- Tasmanian Tiger Sightings
- Just like stories of the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot, the thought to be extinct Tasmanian tiger enjoys similar notoriety in Australia. Here are several articles of Tasmanian tiger sightings, as well as more articles on the cloning efforts.
- A Natural History of the Tasmanian Tiger
- The online Thylacine Museum, an educational guide to the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. Tons of information covering virtually all aspects of the natural history of this unique Australian marsupial. A very comprehensive resource for those interested in the Tasmanian tiger.
- Will the Mammoth Walk Again?
- A Discovery Channel article about the discovery of the Jarkov mammoth and attempts to clone it.
- Mammoth Cloning
- An article stating some background on the woolly mammoth as well as the difficulties involved with cloning one.
Cloning Books and Resources
More information for your cloning research
New Scientific American
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What Bloggers are Saying About Cloning
more fuel for the cloning controversy
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A Lens of the Day Selection
9/28/06
A Thank you to the fine people of Squidoo for choosing this lens as Lens of the Day on September 28th 2006 (Holy Moley has it been that long?) And to the many readers who have graced this lens with their curiosity - may you all be cloned and visit again, and again. Love this Lens?
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sousababy
Jan 17, 2012 @ 8:06 pm | delete
- Very belated congrats on LotD for this insightful lens. I am sure there is ample argument both for and against cloning. (I'm a little on the cautious side, not sure we know what we are getting ourselves into with cloning). Still, I suppose I need to look at more evidence and certainly there is life-saving potential to consider. Thank you for sharing, Rose
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DR Ian Malcom
Jul 22, 2011 @ 7:02 pm | delete
- Um um might there be any um dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour?
Um uh life uh finds a way....
uh um and now im uh sitting by myself uhhh talking to myself, thats chaos theory.
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Runnn
Jun 12, 2011 @ 5:09 am | delete
- Don't clone people, plz....
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pinkrenegade
May 20, 2011 @ 9:30 pm | delete
- If cloning would be successful, that would be great. :)
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garyr_h
Mar 31, 2011 @ 12:26 am | delete
- Great lens. Cloning definitely intrigues me.
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