Japanese scientists seeking to clone prehistoric wooly mammoths were preparing their first frozen DNA samples in bid to bring the beasts back to life. Remnants of what scientists think is from mammoth bone marrow, muscle and skin were unearthed last August in the Siberian tundra where they had been preserved in ice for thousands of years.

Researchers at the Gifu Science and Technology Centre and Kinki University want to use the genetic material encased within the cells to clone a wooly mammoth, said Akira Irytani, a scientist at Kinki University in western Japan. But first, they must determine whether the five specimens brought from Russia on Tuesday are really from mammoths. If so, they must then decide whether the DNA locked inside is well enough preserved for cloning to proceed.

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this could be interesting. But would it yeild healthy clones? And who knows how to care for a mammoth?

and just to make a point, I know this sounds stupid........but
Say for instance they clone the mammoth, and raise it. But, since this is an animal we don't know a whole lot about (I assume), what if it had characteristics we weren't expecting. Say, for example, that the mammoth emitted poison gas clouds from it's trunk. There could be a catastrophy....(though i'm sure then they'd just shoot it down from a distance) Very rediculous though indeed, but I'm just making the point that cloning past animals could bring forth complication we wouldn't be expecting...

Next thing you know Japan will be the first to have a real Jurassic Park. I think if mammoths were meant to roam the earth still, they would be here.

These are going to just be more animals that are asleep when you go to see them at the zoo.

Will it taste like beef or chicken? I bet that's what the scientists really want to find out.

Creepy cool new avatar Dust19!

If we were able to perfect the art of cloning I think it should only be used to bring back animals that we humans wiped out, such as the Dodo. There are arguments that early man may have contributed to the mammoths early demise, but it can never be proven. These animals were highly specialised and adapted to Ice Age life and the unique habitat that the giant icecaps supported.

There was talk of trying to clone the Tassie Tiger - maybe they should concentrate on this species as they would still have a natural habitat in which to be released into and also it has been widely accepted that man brought them to extinction.

Cloning Mammoths sounds good. WE need new and interesting things in our very boring lives

Why not T-Rexs then? Or the Scrofula virus? Or hundreds of Adolf Hitlers?

Yeah, but when the cloned T-Rex starts having the zookeepers for appetizers, the whole cloning idea may have to be rethought a little.

Thank you Aslan , atleast as a smartass you taught me something new .

Oh thanks Kaj for leading me to this, Wow! cloning a mammoth How cool is that! I sort of agree with what Aslan is saying but if a rare animal is on the brink of extinction would you just let it die out cause it was mean't to be, or do something to help the animal evade extintion? like cloning it then using the resulting progeny for breeding programs.

Why can't Japanese scientists try and clone something worth while... Like Rita Hayworth?
*shrugs* I mean, since nobody cares about wooly mammoths and all.

I´m not sure I like cloning in every aspect you can look at it.
But sure, I would love to see the mammoth alive and kicking.

Here´s a link, Look at the "Mammoth files" aswell.

LINK !!!!


I see it like this: We,the humans have exterminated lots of spieces, why not give something back???