Mammoth could be resurrected!

Published: November 19, 2008 | 7278th good news item since 2003

In what can only be described as a miracle mammoths could soon be roaming the earth again.

This is because researchers have been able to reconstruct the complete DNA of amendments. This is a world breakthrough. Similar DNA reconstruction is now possible for disappeared species such as the dodo and Neanderthal man.

The scientists believe that that is possible to implement the reconstructed DNA into the egg of an African elephant; the closest relative to the moments. This will effectively resurrect the species that died out more than 4500 years ago.

“By deciphering this genome we could, in theory, generate data that one day may help other researchers to bring the woolly mammoth back to life by inserting the uniquely mammoth DNA sequences into the genome of the modern-day elephant.

This would allow scientists to retrieve the genetic information that was believed to have been lost when the mammoth died out, as well as to bring back an extinct species that modern humans have missed meeting by only a few thousand years.

Our dataset is 100 times more extensive than any other published dataset for an extinct species, demonstrating that ancient DNA studies can be brought up to the same level as modern genome projects.”
– Professor Schuster

“This would allow scientists to retrieve the genetic information that was believed to have been lost when the mammoth died out, as well as to bring back an extinct species that modern humans have missed meeting by only a few thousand years

Scientists at Pennsylvania State University were able to reconstruct the DNA after extracting some DNA from the hairs of two mammoths which had been buried in snow for more than 20,000 years.

Although the extreme cold has helped preserve most of the DNA, the passage of time damaged part of it.

By comparing the DNA with the DNA of the close relative the African elephant, the 99.7% match, they were able to fill in the gaps.

Published in Science & Technology
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