Science & Technology
Mammoth find offers possible cloning hopes
By
T.K. RandallSeptember 15, 2012 ·
15 comments
Image Credit: Rama
An expedition has discovered the well preserved remains of a mammoth in Siberia's Yakutia region.
Skin and bone samples were retrieved via a tunnel dug in to the permafrost, offering the possibility of finding intact DNA that could be used to clone the animal. Many in the scientific community however remain skeptical that it will be possible to retrieve DNA that hasn't degraded over time, making the concept of producing a live specimen through cloning highly unlikely.
Mammoths first appeared over 4.8 million years ago and lived right up to as recently as 5,000 years ago. It is believed that a combination of climate change and human hunting lead to their eventual extinction.
The skin and bone were recovered from a tunnel dug into the permafrost in the Ust-Yansk area of the Yakutia region on Russia's Arctic coast.
Source:
BBC News |
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