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Cool idea... or a step too far?

by Serene Carmen
25 replies
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US company with $21m in funding hopes to bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction

A new US company Colossal, which was founded by a team of scientists and entrepreneurs, wants to attempt to revive the long-extinct woolly mammoth.

The company, which states on its website that it hopes to combat "the colossal problem of extinction," has already secured US$15 million in funding.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/science/300407...rom-extinction

What do you guys think? Would dinosaurs be next?
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  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    Not saying the will fail to turn elephants into mammoth. But where humans have not eaten mammoth meat in 10,000.

    There might be a market for lab grown mammoth steaks. The real paleo diet. With far more potential income than recreating extinct mammals.
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  • Profile picture of the author SussyBaka
    May be they will succeed at some point but then what, will they be able to keep the specimen under their control, or it will be like jurassic park in real



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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    What I would love to see (maybe it exists and I don't know about it) is a DNA bank of all species of wildlife. We are losing species at an alarming rate due to development, etc. The woolly mammoth will get attention so good to start with that.

    I thought of this idea several years ago when I purchased some books by Joel Santore. He is trying to photograph all the species to have a record that 'they existed'. the photos are stunning.

    By storing DNA it's possible in the future - when humans might be smarter or more self controlled (or fewer) we could bring back species that have become extinct. It might be far into the future, but I believe there will be a time when science can routinely regenerate an organ for replacement or repopulate species that became extinct.
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    • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      What I would love to see (maybe it exists and I don't know about it) is a DNA bank of all species of wildlife. We are losing species at an alarming rate due to development, etc. The woolly mammoth will get attention so good to start with that.

      I thought of this idea several years ago when I purchased some books by Joel Santore. He is trying to photograph all the species to have a record that 'they existed'. the photos are stunning.

      By storing DNA it's possible in the future - when humans might be smarter or more self controlled (or fewer) we could bring back species that have become extinct. It might be far into the future, but I believe there will be a time when science can routinely regenerate an organ for replacement or repopulate species that became extinct.
      Think I agree with this. I read recently that there are only 2 blue rhino left on the planet, both are female. Senseless killing of an entire species, one can only hope we might be smarter in the future.
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by Serene Carmen View Post


    What do you guys think? Would dinosaurs be next?
    No. Woolly mammoths are maybe 10,000 years extinct. Dinosaurs are at least 65,000,000 years extinct.

    What we saw in Jurassic Park, where they took the dinosaur DNA from a mosquito trapped in amber is impossible. The DNA is completely degraded over such a long period of time.

    And Mammoths are a species of elephant . You would inject the mammoth DNA into an elephant embryo. The reason we could do this with the Mammoths is that we have found frozen mammoths with mostly intact DNA. There are no frozen dinosaurs, In fact, fossils aren't even the bones, they are the minerals taking the shape of the bones. The DNA just isn't available.

    We could also make (sort of) a Saber Tooth Cat. But why would we?
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      We could also make (sort of) a Saber Tooth Cat. But why would we?
      Well, it was good enough for The Flintstones.

      Regarding recreating the mammoth, I can just imagine the delight in the hearts of ivory poachers everywhere. There have been countless extinctions across all kinds of life forms. What criteria should we use when deciding to revive a species - does the animal have to be featured in a Disney movie?

      Given the degree of human culpability in this "colossal problem of extinction", this project comes across a bit like the Genghis Khan Healthcare Plan.
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        Well, it was good enough for The Flintstones.

        Regarding recreating the mammoth, I can just imagine the delight in the hearts of ivory poachers everywhere. There have been countless extinctions across all kinds of life forms. What criteria should we use when deciding to revive a species - does the animal have to be featured in a Disney movie?

        Given the degree of human culpability in this "colossal problem of extinction", this project comes across a bit like the Genghis Khan Healthcare Plan.
        "What criteria should we use when deciding to revive a species - does the animal have to be featured in a Disney movie?"

        That's a Dumbo idea
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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by Serene Carmen View Post

    US company with $21m in funding hopes to bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction

    A new US company Colossal, which was founded by a team of scientists and entrepreneurs, wants to attempt to revive the long-extinct woolly mammoth.

    The company, which states on its website that it hopes to combat "the colossal problem of extinction," has already secured US$15 million in funding.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/science/300407...rom-extinction

    What do you guys think? Would dinosaurs be next?
    An inspiring idea, especially since severe cold, was the cause of their demise.

    The usual, they will help with the impending doom crap, isn't though.
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  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Did the past feature weird bunnies with ovahsized teeth?

    Gotta figure if'n we had mammoths an' saber tooth tigahs, there gotta be bunnies.

    Soon as they become available on Amazon, I am buyin' eight.

    An' I will dye their fur diffrent shades of purple.

    (You can't do this too good with natchrl animals bcs angry vegans will shoot you, but I figure bunnies born of science are game.)

    Thing is, what if OUR remains make it into a scifi future where we're 'reborn' long aftah we dead?

    Tellya, next time I swooshy my hair in a bar, ima lookin' out for the weirdsy guy with the loominous tweezers.

    While the guys with the cryogenic bunkahs wait for the cash to roll in, there has gotta be extra space down there for storin' all kindsa renooable DNA samples.

    Could mean the frozen cadavers of a zillion anonymous billionaires now sprout faux beards c/o 'cultivated' millennials.

    Bcs, hey -- what else they gonna put down there?

    Frozen pizzas?
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  • Profile picture of the author Old Molases
    Fighting nature has always been a failure. No matter how much money you have, you just can stop things that are meant to happen.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Old Molases View Post

      Fighting nature has always been a failure. No matter how much money you have, you just can stop things that are meant to happen.
      I agree. What's meant to happen ...is going to happen.

      And that fact releases me from any responsibility for what I do. And it's a defense I'll use in court, when I'm inevitably charged with a crime.

      "Your Honor. It was meant to happen"

      Case dismissed.


      God, I love it here.
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I agree. What's meant to happen ...is going to happen.

        And that fact releases me from any responsibility for what I do. And it's a defense I'll use in court, when I'm inevitably charged with a crime.

        "Your Honor. It was meant to happen"

        Case dismissed.


        God, I love it here.
        There are currently no laws on murdering members of the elemental kingdom.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

          There are currently no laws on murdering members of the elemental kingdom.
          Do you mean animals? "Elemental kingdom" confuses me a little.
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          • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            Do you mean animals? "Elemental kingdom" confuses me a little.
            https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/m...otierra_6a.htm

            Dan is a nature spirit of the Earth or "Gnome" Lives anywhere between 300 and a thousand years. He is of the Rifflite sub-species which are known to be attracted to human affairs, specifically banking. Hope that clarifies things.

            "Earth - Gnomes

            The nature spirits of the Earth are called Gnomes.


            Subgroups:

            Brownies

            Dryads

            Durdalis

            Earth Spirits

            Elves

            Hamadryads

            Pans

            Pygmies

            Sylvestres

            Satyrs

            Riffleites"
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            • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
              Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

              https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/m...otierra_6a.htm

              Dan is a nature spirit of the Earth or "Gnome" Lives anywhere between 300 and a thousand years. He is of the Rifflite sub-species which are known to be attracted to human affairs, specifically banking. Hope that clarifies things.

              "Earth - Gnomes

              The nature spirits of the Earth are called Gnomes.


              Subgroups:

              Brownies

              Dryads

              Durdalis

              Earth Spirits

              Elves

              Hamadryads

              Pans

              Pygmies

              Sylvestres

              Satyrs

              Riffleites"
              Some people have too much time on their hands.
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              • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
                Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

                Some people have too much time on their hands.
                Aren't you looking forward to retirement?
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                • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
                  Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

                  Aren't you looking forward to retirement?
                  No, l prefer an assassination attempt and life in imprisonment.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
                    Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

                    No, l prefer an assassination attempt and life in imprisonment.

                    OK, I want to understand this.

                    Do you mean you want to attempt to assassinate someone? Why would you assume you would fail? Have you failed at previous assassination attempts?

                    Were you voted "Least likely to assassinate" in assassination school?

                    And why do you assume you would be caught and spend your life in prison?

                    Were you voted "Most likely to be caught in a failed assassination attempt" in assassination school?

                    So to recap...

                    You want to try to assassinate someone.
                    You assume you are terrible at it, and you will fail.
                    You assume that you are so bad at it, that you'll get caught and spend a lifetime in prison.


                    I have to assume that the way you know you'll fail and get caught...is that you have already failed at several assassination attempts.....and got caught each time. And the authorities just let you go...because they couldn't imagine that you would actually ever succeed in this career.



                    Maybe...and I'm just spitballing here....assassination isn't the best career choice for you.

                    May I suggest knitting. Fewer people die, and no prison time.




                    Added later; Another way to decipher your post is this..

                    You think someone will try to assassinate you, and you'll kill them, thus spending a life in prison.

                    So....you think that you are so important that the authorities will call it attempted assassination, and not attempted murder, is that it? You are such a high profile person, that it will be called an assassination attempt.

                    And you, with your cat like reflexes, will kill the attempted killer...I mean assassin....and then you'll spend the rest of your life in prison? Wouldn't the people who hired the assassin have heard of your fast reflexes...and hired a good assassin?

                    What have you done that makes you think someone would want to kill you? And why would they hire an assassin? Wouldn't a mean tweet serve as well?

                    Personally, I would stay away from those assassins. They sound like a motley crew. They are so murdery.

                    Anyway, you lead an interesting life. And you made the last ten minutes of my life more fun.
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            • Profile picture of the author socialentry
              Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

              https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/m...otierra_6a.htm

              Dan is a nature spirit of the Earth or "Gnome" Lives anywhere between 300 and a thousand years. He is of the Rifflite sub-species which are known to be attracted to human affairs, specifically banking. Hope that clarifies things.

              "Earth - Gnomes

              The nature spirits of the Earth are called Gnomes.


              Subgroups:

              Brownies

              Dryads

              Durdalis

              Earth Spirits

              Elves

              Hamadryads

              Pans

              Pygmies

              Sylvestres

              Satyrs

              Riffleites"

              u play too much dungeon and dragon
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by Old Molases View Post

      Fighting nature has always been a failure. No matter how much money you have, you just can stop things that are meant to happen.
      This is a common argument. But - humans aren't separate from nature; we're part of it. It follows that whatever we do must be natural.

      Thinking of the world in terms of "us vs nature" is one reason we're screwing everything up.
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      • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        This is a common argument. But - humans aren't separate from nature; we're part of it. It follows that whatever we do must be natural.

        Thinking of the world in terms of "us vs nature" is one reason we're screwing everything up.
        What is the big deal, we bring them back, start up, Mammoth Park, and if it doesn't work out, (they run too many tourists through) then sell their tusks on Ebay for sky high prices, make them extinct again, and think twice.

        But l wold vote the DoDo back in, we need something to laugh at.
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        • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
          Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

          But l wold vote the DoDo back in, we need something to laugh at.
          When we've got the OT section?
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  • Profile picture of the author Ndyama
    It depends on whether they will really accomplish their goal. If they manage to do it, it will be very useful experience for the science itself, but there is a chance that they will never come up with anything and they will just take the money and disappear.
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  • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
    "May I suggest knitting. Fewer people die, and no prison time."

    It could be illegal if you are using Mammoth Wool.

    Shane, I think what Claude means is that you should stick to character assassination like he does.
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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

    OK, I want to understand this.

    Do you mean you want to attempt to assassinate someone? Why would you assume you would fail? Have you failed at previous assassination attempts?

    Were you voted "Least likely to assassinate" in assassination school?

    And why do you assume you would be caught and spend your life in prison?

    Were you voted "Most likely to be caught in a failed assassination attempt" in assassination school?

    So to recap...

    You want to try to assassinate someone.
    You assume you are terrible at it, and you will fail.
    You assume that you are so bad at it, that you'll get caught and spend a lifetime in prison.

    I have to assume that the way you know you'll fail and get caught...is that you have already failed at several assassination attempts.....and got caught each time. And the authorities just let you go...because they couldn't imagine that you would actually ever succeed in this career.

    Maybe...and I'm just spitballing here....assassination isn't the best career choice for you.

    May I suggest knitting. Fewer people die, and no prison time.

    Added later; Another way to decipher your post is this..

    You think someone will try to assassinate you, and you'll kill them, thus spending a life in prison.

    So....you think that you are so important that the authorities will call it attempted assassination, and not attempted murder, is that it? You are such a high profile person, that it will be called an assassination attempt.

    And you, with your cat like reflexes, will kill the attempted killer...I mean assassin....and then you'll spend the rest of your life in prison? Wouldn't the people who hired the assassin have heard of your fast reflexes...and hired a good assassin?

    What have you done that makes you think someone would want to kill you? And why would they hire an assassin? Wouldn't a mean tweet serve as well?

    Personally, I would stay away from those assassins. They sound like a motley crew. They are so murdery.

    Anyway, you lead an interesting life. And you made the last ten minutes of my life more fun.
    Geesh Claude, and l thought that Mark was the thumb twiddler here?

    More of a dream than an act.

    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    "May I suggest knitting. Fewer people die, and no prison time."

    It could be illegal if you are using Mammoth Wool.

    Shane, I think what Claude means is that you should stick to character assassination like he does.
    Knittng might be good, (anything that is long and pointy, works for me).

    Cue the Claude, sex undertone jokes.

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