Efforts To Turn Elephants Into Woolly Mammoths Are Already Underway

Jason Koebler writes: "Researchers are working to hybridize existing animals with extinct ones in order to create a '2.0' version of the animal. Using a genome editing technique known as CRISPR, Harvard synthetic biologist George Church has successfully migrated three genes, which gave the woolly mammoth its furry appearance, extra layer of fat, and cold-resistant blood, into the cells of Asian elephants, with the idea of eventually making a hybrid embryo. In theory, given what we know about both the woolly mammoth genome and the Asian elephant genome, the final product will be something that more closely resembles the former than the latter."

Comments

Re:Misguided

[Anonymous Coward]

"furry appearance, extra layer of fat"

Sounds like they are trying to make more Americans

Re:so...

[ArcadeMan]

Because some idiot paid for it. Unfortunately, that "idiot" is usually a taxpayer that sure as hell didn't get a vote.

I heard it was paid for someone called John Hammond, a billionaire CEO.

Finally!

[nospam007]

One step closer to the egg-laying wool-milk-pig.

I for one...

[Schaffner]

I for one welcome our new hybridized mammoth overlords!

Come on, you know you wanted to post this first.

Re:Bad timing?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lets look back at the records. As the mammoth population declined, temperature increased. Obviously we need more mammoths.

Re: GMO Mammoth Burgers!

[jd2112]

But they are all several thousand years past their "Best if used by" date.

Monsanto Mammoth

[CanadianMacFan]

And they sue you when it tramples your house.

Re:Times sure are changing

[russotto]

Or create species that we can't get rid of and end up replacing good species that we want.

Not to worry, come winter.... OH SHIT THAT DOESN'T WORK WITH MAMMOTHS!