The revival of an extinct species is no longer a fantasy...but is it a good idea?

[STDiva]

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/125-species-revival/zimmer-text

In Jurassic Park dinosaurs are resurrected for their entertainment value. The disastrous consequences that follow have cast a shadow over the notion of de-extinction, at least in the popular imagination. But people tend to forget that Jurassic Park was pure fantasy. In reality the only species we can hope to revive now are those that died within the past few tens of thousands of years and left behind remains that harbor intact cells or, at the very least, enough ancient DNA to reconstruct the creature’s genome. Because of the natural rates of decay, we can never hope to retrieve the full genome of Tyrannosaurus rex, which vanished about 65 million years ago. The species theoretically capable of being revived all disappeared while humanity was rapidly climbing toward world domination. And especially in recent years we humans were the ones who wiped them out, by hunting them, destroying their habitats, or spreading diseases. This suggests another reason for bringing them back.

“If we’re talking about species we drove extinct, then I think we have an obligation to try to do this,” says Michael Archer, a paleontologist at the University of New South Wales who has championed de-extinction for years. Some people protest that reviving a species that no longer exists amounts to playing God. Archer scoffs at the notion. “I think we played God when we exterminated these animals.”

Discuss

 

[Rey C.]

There are some scientists working to bring back the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). And even though some claim that it's not really extinct, there have been no confirmed sightings in 80 years or better. But since mankind is 100% responsible for its extermination/extinction, bringing it back seems like a noble pursuit, IMO.

The only real concern I have is that as we try to do things like this, we're surely going to get some things wrong. And we may end up with some freakish and possibly dangerous (disease wise) mutants. But like most other people, the idea that I could see a real, live Tasmanian Tiger or a Wooly Mammoth is damn fascinating to me! And just imagine bringing back the Gigantopithecus (10 foot tall, 1200 pound ape with a 12 foot arm span). But you know, sooner than later, once we accomplish a little bit with animals, that will lead to experiments with people. I could see the "nice people" at Google experimenting on humans at some point. And once caught, they'd say they were just doing it to enhance the user experience.

 

[mokbel69]

The motives might be in the right place, but I think you can't undo what's been done. No animal that they de-extinct or practically clone, will ever be as healthy as what the original species was. Take Dolly the sheep, dead after only 4 years. Are they taking the possible welfare of the animals into consideration? It doesn't sound like it. Too many unknowns as well. Then if we do get this ability, I can just imagine this causes a lot of people to care even less about whether current species already under threat, what happens to them or their environment. Because yanno we can just de-extinct them. At this point I think it's best to leave things alone, learn from our mistakes, make sure we don't lose any more species at our hands and let nature do it's thing. Unfortunately I can't see that happening.

 

[luis1972]

of course not, we can break the equilibrium of nature

 

[Anonyne#017]

Good thing we'll be a long gone before velociraptors are going to dine with us. This might be a good promotion for next Jurassic Park movie thought...

We all know mankind has always fucked up already when they try to play the god and for example how they tried to mix breed tame and hardworking bees who then escaped and now you have your little extremely aggressive killer bees in the wild instead or when another species is moved into the nature where it's natural enemy does not exist and they end up eating all the other animals who have no defence mechanism against them to cause even more unbalances in the nature...

 

[HappyHapyJoyJoy]

Just let me know when I can get my first taste of Kentucky Fried Dodo. Until I can eat them I am unimpressed by science's efforts to revive the long dead.

 

[vanlee1]

Jurassic Park tried to show us that things can get ugly when we play mother nature with DNA:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Just let me know when I can get my first taste of Kentucky Fried Dodo. Until I can eat them I am unimpressed by science's efforts to revive the long dead.

Yes, they have a long way to go...

I wonder if Kentucky Fried Dodo taste like chicken they say everything else does:dunno: