A National Geographic Daily News article titled "Can Purported Mammoth Blood Revive Extinct Species" discusses the task of cloning with regards to mammoths. With finding an intact mammoth carcass, many people ask if cloning a mammoth is in the near future. Specifically, the unusual findings of the most recently found mammoth carcass has caused extra hype of the possibility of cloning. The mammoth carcass found recently in Russia has a distinctive fluid around it. The fluid is suspected to be mammoth blood, but confirmation of this has not been provided. Researchers and experts are hoping that intact cells will be found in the mysterious fluid, but they admit that this is not likely. Without an undamaged, functional cell available, cloning is not possible. The article continues to explain that the process of cloning is much more difficult than one tends to realize. A completed genetic profile is necessary before the cloning process can begin. Because the mammoth is approximately 10,000 years old, the DNA has inevitably disintegrated over time, which will prevent a complete genetic profile to be found. With only pieces of the genetic profile available, paleontologists would have to approximate what the mammoth's genome looks like. An approximation does not allow the cloning of a mammoth to be precise. If the genetic profile could be completed, researchers could attempt to have a female elephant carry a baby mammoth or try reverse-engineering. None of these options are completely viable. Cloning a species isn't always successful, and it isn't an easy task either. The article closes with a quote from a Brown University postdoctorate student studying paleontology, Jacqueline Gill, expressing her opinion that "It's irresponsible to put limited conservation dollars into bringing an Ice Age species into a warming world where dozens of elephants have been slaughtered just this year for their ivory."
Emily Anthes, the author of Frankenstein's Cat: cuddling up to biotech's brave new beasts, also discusses the idea of cloning in detail in the chapter titled "Nine Lives." She would undeniably agree with the author of this National Geographic article that cloning is more difficult than people think. Anthes discusses many examples of the points provided in the article previously mentioned. She explains with many examples that "for every well-earned accomplishment, there are disappointing setbacks" (Anthes, 73). She also points out that humans tend to wait until after catastrophe strikes before trying to fix the problems that exist in our world, including the endangerment and extinction of animals. Although cloning could prevent animals from becoming endangered by the use of frozen zoos and there is "hope that cloning could indeed bring back other extinct species,"(Anthes, 80) Anthes strongly states that cloning is only part of the solution. Cloning will never be a complete solution to the problem. We as humans need to also put emphasis on learning from our own mistakes to avoid participating in activities that have caused several animals to go extinct. Cloning is pointless if the animals' natural habitat is destroyed. Anthes also questions if it would be a good thing to bring back extinct animals into a completely different world than they once lived in. Anthes places emphasis on the need to continue to research the impacts of cloning before using it as a solution to the endangerment and extinction problem of many animals.
Cloning is definitely a fascinating subject. Continued research will allow cloning experiments to eventually have a higher success rate. Although cloning can be a part of the solution to endangerment and extinction, it does not stand alone. Humans also need to take responsibility of their actions before it is too late.
References:
Anthes, Emily. Frankenstein's Cat Cuddling Up to Biotech's Brave New Beasts. New York: Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Switek, Brian. "Can Purported Mammoth Blood Revive Extinct Species?" National Geographic Daily News. 1 June 2013.
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