Have you ever had the urge to witness extinct animals being brought back to life? Just like in Steven Speilberg’s classic cult film Jurassic Park? The film has always seemed like a science fiction fantasy to everyone, but what if we tell you this might turn into reality? The term de-extinction seems strange, but it could become increasingly common in the coming years. Scientists are getting closer to the prospect of reviving extinct animals on Earth with genetic engineering methods and technology development. Scientists who have made significant progress toward bringing back extinct species like the Dodo and Mammoth have promised to bring back more such animals.
Colossal Biosciences, a Biotechnology company, is already working toward bringing back extinct animals, such as the Tasmanian tiger. They are currently also using ancient DNA to bring back extinct animals that have never been discovered in the fossil record. Professor Beth Shapiro, the company’s chief science officer, said in an interview: “The past, by its very nature, is different from anything that exists today and so it is ripe for discoveries. We’re like explorers, but instead of going to distant places on the planet, we’re going to the distant past, and we don’t really know what we’re going to find.”
In Greenland, scientists have discovered DNA pieces that date back two million years, and, likely, samples from far earlier ages are still stored. The DNA they found belonged to an animal that resembled a horse that existed 700,000 years ago. Scientists who have worked on Jurassic Park-style projects think they can mine the DNA of a 7,00,000-year-old horse or donkey to extract its greatest features.
These scientists believe they can select the features of animals as well. After which, they might be able to produce new super-breeds that will be suitable for the world where climate change occurs often. Professor Shapiro added, “My own academic research lab has found a new species of Arctic equid that lived in North America approximately 7,00,000 years ago. It’s not a donkey or a horse, but it’s something from those ages.” He mentioned how they uncovered topics that were not covered in any fossil records to bring back the characteristics of extinct creatures that might aid in the ability to adapt to the future.
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