This week noticed the discharge of some fascinating information about some very furry rodents—so-called “woolly mice”—created as a part of an experiment to discover how we’d in the future resurrect the woolly mammoth.
The thought of bringing again extinct species has gained traction due to advances in sequencing of historical DNA. This historical genetic knowledge is deepening our understanding of the previous—as an example, by shedding mild on interactions amongst prehistoric people. However researchers have gotten extra bold. Moderately than simply studying historical DNA, they wish to use it—by inserting it into dwelling organisms.
As a result of this concept is so new and attracting a lot consideration, I made a decision it could be helpful to create a file of earlier makes an attempt so as to add extinct DNA to dwelling organisms. And for the reason that expertise doesn’t have a reputation, let’s give it one: “chronogenics.” Learn the complete story.
—Antonio Regalado
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Expertise Assessment’s weekly biotech publication. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and skim articles like this primary, enroll right here.
Should you’re fascinated with de-extinction, why not take a look at:
+ How a lot would you pay to see a woolly mammoth? We spoke to Sara Ord, director of species restoration at Colossal, the world’s first “de-extinction” firm, about its huge ambitions.
+ Colossal can also be a de-extinction firm, which is making an attempt to resurrect the dodo. Learn the complete story.
+ DNA that was frozen for two million years has been sequenced. The traditional DNA fragments come from a Greenland ecosystem the place mastodons roamed amongst flowering crops. It might maintain clues to methods to survive a warming local weather.
