Pleistocene Park. First the Auroch and now the Woolly Mammoth?
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent
the Guardian | Thursday 16 February 2017 10.00 EST Last modified on Thursday 16 February 2017 13.20 EST
Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), a model of an extinct Ice Age mammoth. Photograph: Andrew Nelmerm/Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley
The woolly mammoth vanished from the Earth 4,000 years ago, but now scientists say they are on the brink of resurrecting the ancient beast in a revised form, through an ambitious feat of genetic engineering.
Speaking ahead of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston this week, the scientist leading the “de-extinction” effort said the Harvard team is just two years away from creating a hybrid embryo, in which mammoth traits would be programmed into an Asian elephant.
“Our aim is to produce a hybrid elephant-mammoth embryo,” said Prof George Church. “Actually, it would be more like an elephant with a number of mammoth traits. We’re not there yet, but it could happen in a couple of years.”
The creature, sometimes referred to as a “mammophant”, would be partly elephant, but with features such as small ears, subcutaneous fat, long shaggy hair and cold-adapted blood. The mammoth genes for these traits are spliced into the elephant DNA using the powerful gene-editing tool, Crispr.
Could we 'de-extinctify' the woolly mammoth?
Read more
mammoth on verge of resurrection, scientists reveal
MSMA News - Attack Squirrel Foils Burglary
Mixed Species Martial Arts News – Pet squirrel attacks and drives off human burglar. “The g_d things won’t stay out of the bird feeders either.” Said Joey the Squirrel. “Call me a bushy-tailed tree rat M_ F_ ! I showed him.” Joey was quoted as saying.
://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2017/02/16/SQUIRREL_650.jpg&size=650x366&quality=85
Joey, the indoor pet squirrel, guards home against burglary
Canoe inc.
canoe.com |
MERIDIAN, IDAHO - A pet squirrel named Joey prevented a burglary attempt in Idaho last week by scratching the teen suspect when he tried to break into a gun safe, police said.
50 Rhino Poachers Shot Dead After India Unleashes "Zero Tolerance" Conservation Policy
“Now this is a 'zero tolerance' policy!’”
