Jurassic World: just how impossible is it?

摘要

Since the publication of the mammoth genome sequence in 2008, there has been interest in the possibility of recreating this relative of modern Asian elephants. Basically, this involves using our current knowledge of genetics and gene function in order to predict which genes allowed the mammoth to develop its telltale traits of hairiness, smaller ears and extra fatty layers. The genes that control these processes are still present in modern elephants, but they might have slight mutations to change their function or perhaps more importantly, they will have different spatial or temporal patterns of activity. Apparently, good progress is being made with attempts to introduce changes to modern elephant DNA in order to grow ‘mammoth-like’ tissues in the lab. This may be a more intellectual than practical challenge but how relevant are these experiments to any attempt to recreate dinosaurs?.