Scientists hope to clone extinct species (CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japanese scientists have produced clones of mice that have been dead and frozen for 16 years -- a feat that could lead researchers to one day resurrect long-extinct species, such as the mammoth.

Until now, scientists have only been able to produce clones using cells from live animals. This is how researchers created Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult animal.

Researchers had thought that frozen cells were unusable because ice crystals would have damaged the DNA. That belief would rule out the possibility of resurrecting extinct animals from their frozen remains.

But the latest research -- published in the journal, Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences -- shows that scientists may have overcome the obstacle.

Researchers at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, used cells from mice that had been frozen for 16 years at -20 Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/04/japan.mouse....

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Forget the mammoths. With the die-off rate we are looking at, they are going to be very hard at work

just trying to keep modern animals in existence.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. As long as they don't use frog DNA.

I think we all remember how that turned out. :p

[tridim]

3. Seems like a really bad idea..

[brendan120678]

4. Okay...but why would you want to recreate a mammoth?

And what would you do with it/them once that is done?
It's not like there is a huge habitat area for them in the first place.

Some animals that are extinct are extinct for a reason - it's just nature's way.
I for one do not want to see any dinosaurs, mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, etc. cloned.

Others are extinct due to over-hunting and the expanding human population.
Those animals - sure, maybe we can try recreating them.

[Richard D]

6. Mmmmmmmmm

Mammoth burgers!

[Gato Moteado]

8. it's very possible that mammoths were over-hunted

and that helped lead to their extinction. same goes for giant sloths.

[Orrex]

14. Is that you, Dr. Malcolm?

Besides, humans are nature's way, too...

[valerief]

5. Shades of Jurassic Park, isn't it?

[WarbirdForObama]

7. How long until

Some Conserva-Whackjob starts pushing to clone Ronald Reagan.

Or Joe McCarthy.

[Gato Moteado]

9. if we clone anyone, it should be michael jordan

i want to see a chicago bulls starting five of all michael jordans

[moggie]

13. Or Michael Crichton n/t

[ElboRuum]

10. If this is a lead story on Slashdot today (haven't checked yet)...

I project that it will have "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" as one of the tags.

[annabanana]

11. hominahominahominahomina

Someday someone will find some mysterious DNA and decide the only thing to do is to grow it. .

wheee

[annabanana]

12. lets "rec" this to the front page,

just for giggles

[gtar100]

15. This never leads to anything good.

Anytime species are awakened from the dead, they are angry, violent, and prone to eating people. I tell you, they're playing with fire.