reversing extinction

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
Extinct Tortoise Could Make a Comeback
Resurrecting the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger from Preserved DNA

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tamoko
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
I'm looking forward to a Mammoth fur pimp coat in a few years, and some tasty Mammoth Burgers © on the grill.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
Probably taste like elephants. But better, being from a cold climate. Marbling?
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tamoko
11/20/08

@Evil Tortie's Mom: Definitely... like Bison, only tastier!
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Rasselas
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
Robot mammoth mom....

Killer app!
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
I was reading about this this morning and in the article they also mentioned that they were considering using the same process for Neanderthal DNA that they have. So that should piss off the Religious Right and make Geico very very happy.
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@Grrsn Dn: I would be in favor of bringing a neanderthal back, as long as we were nice to him/her. I'm not against cloning per se, but I am against creating a life for the purpose of killing it for the benefit of another.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that humans and neanderthals DID (or at least could) interbreed, but that the offspring were (would be) infertile. How we would find THAT out ethically, I have no idea. It doesn't look like were going to find a fossil version of a hybrid.
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@RAHfanboy for one, welcomes his Marxist overlords.: *we're*
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
11/20/08

@RAHfanboy for one, welcomes his Marxist overlords.: If you're wondering if there is anyone who would mate with a neanderthal for scientific purposes... well.. I for one welcome our hairy lowbrow'd sexpot overlords.
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CarlinDemonassa
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
ok, so whats the point of bringing back a long dead species? we have species now dying off...shouldnt they be focusing on saving them before bringing back one that we will probably end up killing off anyway?
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Gann
11/20/08

@CarlinDemonassa: If we can revive a species that's been extinct for 8,000 years, it brings much hope to the species that are currently dying off. There's no reason the doomsday seed bank couldn't hold DNA samples also. It would be like a modern day Noah's ark.
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nonpareil
11/20/08

@CarlinDemonassa: There are plenty of "points" or reasons for resurrecting extinct species, particularly in the case where a species died off due to human interference (the dodo, for example). Beyond the most obvious purpose of enriching science, they will provide us with insights into the conditions in which they existed (and thrived), opportunities to learn about genetic/evolutionary chains that right now remain elusive, and coolest of all, it will allow us to create a real Jurassic Park.

Besides, they might be really tasty.
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braak
11/20/08

@nonpareil: I'm no PETA member, or anything, but there does seem to be something insanely psychotic about bring a dead species back to life just so we can eat it.
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nonpareil
11/20/08

@braak: @Alchemistmerlin: Of course, I was only kidding about eating them...though the Dodo, hunted to extinction because of its particularly sweet and juicy meat, might be too tempting to turn down if served au poivre

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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
11/20/08

@CarlinDemonassa: You are no fun.
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braak
11/20/08

@nonpareil: No, I know. I was just thinking about it and, man...talk about crazy. That's some conspicuous consumption right there. I'll bet the first thing that happens is a luxury restaurant opens in Manhattan that only sells dishes made from extinct animals.
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@nonpareil: Hell, if dodos taste good enough, the turkey might become endangered. I call the drumstick!
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@braak: If it was successful, they'd never go extinct again.
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Lassus
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
I think the truly awesome thing about re-growing extinct species is that we'll get an idea of how wrong our ideas of what they looked like are. I mean, really, how WOOLLY was this mammoth and such?
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@Lassus: I'm thinking the main difference between a live mammoth and our frozen samples is that they probably didn't have that puzzled look when they were alive. I think of it as the "Why me?" look.
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LittleDragon
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
"Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that's how it always starts. Then later there's running and screaming."

Death by Woolly Mammoth. This one ain't your snuffleupagus
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choptop
11/20/08

@CarlinDemonassa: That's crazy talk. We are a tiny speck swirling around in infinite space. There will be no impact in the grand scheme from ANYTHING that happens on our planet. I say bring back the mammoth, teach it how to use a gun, shoot em into space, and see what happens. I mean, why not? Even if you DO care about the life of other creatures, what would be the harm in a creature that's already extinct going extinct again? I wanna see mammoths and african elephants fight arena style. With swords. And lasers.
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@choptop: I like the way you think!
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♠ Final ♠
11/20/08

In reply to A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
#6 Make a breed that's toy sized. (I just want one of the lil elephants from Jurassic Park)
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RAHfanboy
11/20/08

@Final: There was a cute little guy in "Jerry Was a Man," an adaptation of a Heinlein story that was a part of the short lived "Masters of Science Fiction" series.
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A Step-By-Step Guide to Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth

Extinct Tortoise Could Make a Comeback

Resurrecting the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger from Preserved DNA

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