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Checking Mammoth DNA Against Elephants Hints At How They Got Hairy

Posted by samzenpus on from the ancient-snuffleupagus dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A new study on mammoth DNA comparing the hairy animals to their cousins, the Asian and African elephants, has isolated what genes separate it from its warm-weather cousins. The study found that genes controlling skin and hair development, fat metabolism, insulin signaling, and skull shape, differed from today's contemporary elephant species. "They have this weird hump on their back, which is thought to be something like a camel hump — sort of a fat deposit that stored water and energy for the cold, dark winters," says Vincent Lynch, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago.

22 comments

  1. Well.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you have an Ass like that, you would stop waxing too.... Just ask the Kardashians...

    1. Re:Well.... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Just ask the Kardashians...

      OK, but you'll have to give me directions to the Shire.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:Well.... by Bugamn · · Score: 2

      Just turn left at Naboo.

  2. They should clone one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They should use the gene to alter elephant DNA and clone a mammoth.

  3. Closest Relitaves by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    With the rock hyrax(a guinea pig sized communal animal) and the sea cows being the closest relatives there is obviously much flexibility in the genetic makeup of an elephant
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  4. How to revive the Mammoth species by currently_awake · · Score: 2

    To revive a dead species, that you don't have complete DNA for: Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. Keep adding bits and pieces as you can, getting closer to the lost species. Set up a wildlife park where people can come and see them.

    1. Re:How to revive the Mammoth species by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I just watched a documentary on such a park in IMAX 3D last Friday. It was quite informative but lacked a dance off.

      4/5 stars

    2. Re:How to revive the Mammoth species by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "To revive a dead species, that you don't have complete DNA for: Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. "

      Who cares how they look, you have to check if they're tasty.

    3. Re:How to revive the Mammoth species by currently_awake · · Score: 1

      Putting Mamoth on the menu looks better than genetically modified elephant.

    4. Re:How to revive the Mammoth species by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's a big difference between reviving an extinct species and creating a new one to sort of look like it.

    5. Re:How to revive the Mammoth species by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. Keep adding bits and pieces as you can, getting closer to the lost species

      Your generation time is 2 decades (human like). Have your ungrateful grandchildren continued with your project? Did they even try to continue seeking funding for your experiment after your retirement?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  5. Based on my research by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Having Googled "hairy mammoth" and visited a few search results, I've concluded I never want to Google "hairy mammoth" ever again.

    1. Re:Based on my research by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      When things are getting hairy, you just have to keep pushing through.

      --
      Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
    2. Re:Based on my research by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

      Having Googled "hairy mammoth" and visited a few search results, I've concluded I never want to Google "hairy mammoth" ever again.

      You piqued my curiosity. So despite being at work, I took the risk and googled "hairy mammoth"...

      ... and I was quite disappointed that most text links were indeed talking about the "woolly mammoth" species, not something else. Ok, so I clicked "Images". Second disappointment: most pix were just hairy mammothes (you know, the elefant-like animal, not "bears", not Portuguese ladies or whatever...). 98% percent mammoth, with the odd (non-hairy, and non-obese) girl thrown in. Or are you using a different google than me?

      O, and I did check that I hadn't accidentally enabled "safe-search"...

  6. elephants are still pretty hairy by rightwingLeftist · · Score: 0

    I rode on the back on an elephant in the san antonio zoo back in the 1970s...that elephant had long red hair on it...the hair is still there, but it is just not as dense as it was on a mammoth.

    --
    posting at http://leftistconservative.blogspot.com
    1. Re:elephants are still pretty hairy by Teun · · Score: 2

      We still have a picture of that event, as to be expected from that era it's in black & white:
      http://www.independent.co.uk/i...

      --
      "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
    2. Re:elephants are still pretty hairy by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "I rode on the back on an elephant in the san antonio zoo back in the 1970s...that elephant had long red hair on it...the hair is still there,..."

      The hair still is there? What about the elephant?

  7. Re:Elephants are for cows. by nospam007 · · Score: 1

    "You are all cows. Cows say moo. MOOOOOOOOO! MOOOOOOOOO! Mooooo cows MOOOOOOO! Mooo say the cows. YOU COWS!!"

    You're way off, man, this is slashot not usenet's newsgroup alt.cows.moo.moo.moo

  8. Randy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well some claim that if you masturbate you get hairy palms.
    Maybe the elephants just loved themselves a bit too much.

  9. Parallel evolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow. It's almost like exposure to cold weather forces a species to advance further than its warm-weather cousins,,.

    1. Re: Parallel evolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'advance' 'further'