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Resurrecting The Extinct

January 10, 2010 5:00 PM

Scientists believe they can sustain endangered species - maybe even one day resurrect some that have died out - using DNA technology. Lesley Stahl reports.

Could Extinct Species Make A Comeback?
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by PSOPO April 5, 2013 12:18 PM EDT
You would need a lot of DNA to make up the complete genetic code. DNA is as complex in the world of the very small as galaxies are in space. There is no way that we could find enough DNA to even start phase one of this project. Even Jurassic Park writer, Michael Crichton admitted that it is a real long shot that to bring back animals from bones. The body of a living thing is very complex, like a big puzzle and we are unlikely to find all of the pieces.
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by biostudent23 September 10, 2012 9:15 AM EDT
Some of these comments confirms the arrogance of people in general. To think that everything on this earth was made for man is ridiculous and narrow minded. Your "God" did not make all this for you to screw up. We were meant to coexist with these animals whose existence is continually threatened by the irresponsible things we do on earth (oil spills, habitat destruction, etc.). These scientist are merely trying to reverse their unfortunate demise of the animals that cannot exist in the world that we so carelessly pollute. Wake up people! This planet is not yours!
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by lolbiology1073 September 9, 2012 8:01 PM EDT
So I'm watching this video for Dr.Dew's Bio1073 and I can't help but think how much I hate that ****.
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by amzleiu March 4, 2012 3:41 PM EST
Hi all ! Someone can take out and post the complete text of this video ? I am a french studient in biology, i don't really understand all the person, and i really need it fast !!
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by Pookmah February 24, 2010 2:34 AM EST
hrmm maybe we could bring some Neanderthals back as well hey. It seems likely H-Saps caused their extinction too.
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by oynas February 22, 2010 10:26 PM EST
Well, it's apparent that several of the reponders here don't understand what the scientist in this story are trying to achieve. This isn't about repopulating the earth with extinct species, as cool as that might appear to many people, it's about the ability to use any DNA material or several gene segments (and not fertilized eggs) to reproduce healthy animals. A goal that is not in the least very simple nor without a great deal of effort. To even say that we are reasonably close to possibly doing this is a giant leap in achievement.

Now apparently just being able to successfully clone a living organizm no longer holds the interest of the general public. Do researchers really need to bring back a long extinct animal to demonstrate the level of our knowledge and control over biology? To that end, a living breathing baby Mammoth should do the trick.

I don't believe anyone is looking to grow herds of Mammonths or Duckbill dinosaurs to be reintroduced into the wild with this technology, but just knowing that we may be able to prevent wide extinctions of species we do know is a great and wonderful acomplishment that world leaders should applaud and support. BTW, if GOD didn't want humans to have the ability to manipulate the tools of life, he could have simply password protected it.
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by prairiepickle February 22, 2010 11:54 AM EST
OK......... one giant leap backward... any forward? Makes me shudder at the thought of resurrecting dinosaurs... for WHAT?? To see if they can do it?
Wow, I can think of a thousand more worthy experiments to try than bringing a dinosaur into the ZOO world. What a freakin' waste.

Your tax and Grant money at work.
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by donnthedragon February 22, 2010 11:25 AM EST
Yes lets destroy our animals then we have a justification for playing God
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by runtimeerrorboy February 16, 2010 10:29 PM EST
It is noble to want to protect something, but let it be very clear that if these animals are unable to fulfill their niches appropriately much work will be necessary if not an impossible task set to make our resurrections feel like less of abominations. Call this a blessing or a curse, but it seems completely understanding anything is profoundly impossible, but I personally wonder if life for a mammoth whose natural environment has disappeared thousands of years ago is like an endless search for home. It some how doesn't feel right being so depressing when it comes to scientific discovery promoting species diversity which is truly what makes Earth unique, but life in all forms often derives little respect for what it truly needs by a sensible mind. The niche we humans fill sometimes puts my head in a spin because we are the most self serving of all species by dumping mostly toxins, deforesting, and promoting single species that continue adapting to cohabit cities with us for the past thousand years. I think a revision of even a single humans preferred niche to create more species is at the very least incredibly interesting, and at the very most harmless. Otherwise way to go progression of mankind!

On a lighter note it would be strangely funny to see a mammoth in a city wandering around due to its extinction and what not.
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by cbs_bull February 1, 2010 5:17 AM EST
It's fun to play as Gods...
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