Giant step towards mammoth resurrection: first mice born with mammoth hair (1 Viewer)

[Bum]

Colossal Biosciences successfully replicates the color, texture, and thickness of woolly mammoth hair, with conditions to adapt to extreme cold: "This marks a pivotal moment in our de-extinction mission".

Nearly 4,000 years after mammoths disappeared from the face of the Earth, the U.S. company Colossal is attempting to bring them back to life using ancient DNA preserved in permafrost. While they have not yet been able to bring them back to life, they have just witnessed the birth of the first mammoth mouse in their laboratory, or as they have named it, the Colossal Woolly Mouse.

MSN

I am not sure what the benefit of bringing back Mammoths would be, unless the end goal is to use the science to bring back species that have been lost through man caused extinction....eg; Passenger Pigeon, Cape Lion, Great Auk, Dodo, etc.

 

[dmpi]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea. It falls under the "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" manta.

 

[Demon]

I'm not sure we need mammoths back, but it would be cool to see one.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I am not sure what the benefit of bringing back Mammoths would be, unless the end goal is to use the science to bring back species that have been lost through man caused extinction....eg; Passenger Pigeon, Cape Lion, Great Auk, Dodo, etc.

We will keep them in zoos. Charge people a ton of money to see them. We'll call it "Mankind Is a Bunch of Assholes Park."

 

[EdwinWillers]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea. It falls under the "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" manta.

Wow - mice with hair. What will scientists create next?

 

[EdwinWillers]

Colossal Biosciences successfully replicates the color, texture, and thickness of woolly mammoth hair, with conditions to adapt to extreme cold: "This marks a pivotal moment in our de-extinction mission".

Nearly 4,000 years after mammoths disappeared from the face of the Earth, the U.S. company Colossal is attempting to bring them back to life using ancient DNA preserved in permafrost. While they have not yet been able to bring them back to life, they have just witnessed the birth of the first mammoth mouse in their laboratory, or as they have named it, the Colossal Woolly Mouse.

MSN

I am not sure what the benefit of bringing back Mammoths would be, unless the end goal is to use the science to bring back species that have been lost through man caused extinction....eg; Passenger Pigeon, Cape Lion, Great Auk, Dodo, etc.

Here it is - the "Colossal Wolly Mouse":



It's freeking... colossal!

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea. It falls under the "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" manta.

(A close second in the "what image works here?" genre follows in the spoiler tags. It was really close, and I struggled with this decision. I struggled a lot.)

Spoiler

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.

 

[rhinefire]

South Park episode about Mr. Garrison growing a penis on the back of a mouse.

 

[Mr Person]

This is stupid. Their environment is gone, and there are no adult mammoths around to teach them how to be a mammoth. Animals learn from their parents and others around them, just like people.

 

[Gordy327]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea. It falls under the "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" manta.

Oh come, "playing god" is fun.

 

[Gordy327]

South Park episode about Mr. Garrison growing a penis on the back of a mouse.

That's a classic.

 

[Gordy327]

Here it is - the "Colossal Wolly Mouse":

View attachment 67559127

It's freeking... colossal!

So cute too

 

[Gordy327]

We will keep them in zoos. Charge people a ton of money to see them. We'll call it "Mankind Is a Bunch of Assholes Park."

They would be quite the park attraction. Also good for scientific study.

 

[GIJane]

Here it is - the "Colossal Wolly Mouse":

View attachment 67559127

It's freeking... colossal!

They are cute little buggers.

 

[EdwinWillers]

They are cute little buggers.

True dat. They are.

 

[eohrnberger]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea. It falls under the "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" manta.

I'm very much in agreement.
I don't think humans have amassed sufficient wisdom and knowledge to go and engineer life with DNA alteration such as this, this 'playing God'.

 

[Gordy327]

I'm very much in agreement.
I don't think humans have amassed sufficient wisdom and knowledge to go and engineer life with DNA alteration such as this, this 'playing God'.

Why not? We can't really learn until we do. "Playing god" is what humans have always tried to do and is how we advanced. From reshaping our environment to creating new elements to increasing health and longevity through medicine and other things, is in a way humans playing God if not being like a god. Science is how we did it too. The more we learn, discover, and develop science, the less actual god/s are needed.

 

[EdwinWillers]

I'm very much in agreement.
I don't think humans have amassed sufficient wisdom and knowledge to go and engineer life with DNA alteration such as this, this 'playing God'.

No disputing that here. Good grief, we've seen what "human wisdom and knowledge" is available these days and I'd hate to see any of that replicated more than it already is.

 

[eohrnberger]

Why not? We can't really learn until we do.

It's not that simply cut and dry. There's a risk and impact assessment which needs to be part of this.

"Playing god" is what humans have always tried to do and is how we advanced. From reshaping our environment to creating new elements to increasing health and longevity through medicine and other things, is in a way humans playing God if not being like a god. Science is how we did it too. The more we learn, discover, and develop science, the less actual god/s are needed.

Fair. But again, the risk and impact needs to be part of this decision making.

The COVID 19 engineered Gain of Function virus had a significant impact. Thankfully, its mortality rate wasn't very high. What if the results of these genetic manipulations resulting in a virus like COVID 19 but at a much higher fatality rate?

What if supposedly thought to be benign genetic alternations of an organism had a side effect of casting off such a mutated virus?

We may very well extinct ourselves. Are you willing to risk that?

After all, those who were performing COVID Gain of Function engineering thought those were 'safe' alterations to make as well.

Back to my previous post, I don't think humans have gained sufficient wisdom and knowledge to make such genetic manipulations.

 

[Gordy327]

It's not that simply cut and dry. There's a risk and impact assessment which needs to be part of this.


Fair. But again, the risk and impact needs to be part of this decision making.

The COVID 19 engineered Gain of Function virus had a significant impact. Thankfully, its mortality rate wasn't very high. What if the results of these genetic manipulations resulting in a virus like COVID 19 but at a much higher fatality rate?

What if supposedly thought to be benign genetic alternations of an organism had a side effect of casting off such a mutated virus?

We may very well extinct ourselves. Are you willing to risk that?

After all, those who were performing COVID Gain of Function engineering thought those were 'safe' alterations to make as well.

Back to my previous post, I don't think humans have gained sufficient wisdom and knowledge to make such genetic manipulations.

Of course details need to be worked out first and any experiments should be in a controlled environment. But bringing a mammoth back is a matter of cloning. Science isn't engineering new viruses here. We can do cloning. The real question is if the cloning process would be successful.

 

[eohrnberger]

Of course details need to be worked out first and any experiments should be in a controlled environment. But bringing a mammoth back is a matter of cloning.

True, bringing a mammoth back is cloning, and, unless that mammoth escapes into the wild and reproduces (unlikely), this isn't the risk / impact which I was talking about.

Science isn't engineering new viruses here.

But science is engineering new viruses, at least in the form of viruses which have Gain of Function. I view this as a high risk / impact endeavor.

We can do cloning. The real question is if the cloning process would be successful.

 

[Airyaman]

Here it is - the "Colossal Wolly Mouse":

View attachment 67559127

It's freeking... colossal!

We should name the mice "Karen".

 

[Gordy327]

True, bringing a mammoth back is cloning, and, unless that mammoth escapes into the wild and reproduces (unlikely), this isn't the risk / impact which I was talking about.

That's why is said "controlled environment."

But science is engineering new viruses, at least in the form of viruses which have Gain of Function. I view this as a high risk / impact endeavor.

Cloning an animal is not virology. Animals have already been cloned without environmental effect.

 

[eohrnberger]

That's why is said "controlled environment."

Cloning an animal is not virology. Animals have already been cloned without environmental effect.

Implanting mammoth genes into a mouse isn't cloning. Its genetic manipulation.
Said genetic manipulation is at the risk of genetically manipulated organism having a side effect of casting off of a mutated virus.
(Let's face it, it is unknown what side effects of this genetic manipulation might be)

 

[Gordy327]

Implanting mammoth genes into a mouse isn't cloning. Its genetic manipulation.

It's just the first step.

Said genetic manipulation is at the risk of genetically manipulated organism having a side effect of casting off of a mutated virus.
(Let's face it, it is unknown what side effects of this genetic manipulation might be)

they're not experimenting with viruses. The mammoth genome is known. I'll leave it to the scientists to figure out.