The woolly mammoth walked the earth 4,000 years ago as a massive entity that closely resembled the modern elephants we see today. It’s massive tusks and engulfing fur made it quite a sight to behold. Professor George Church of the Harvard scientific team intends to bring this creature back to life through the use of embryonic cloning. Although the specimen wouldn't be an exact living replica of the mammoth, it would be as genetically close to it as scientifically possible.
According to Church, “Our aim is to produce a hybrid elephant-mammoth embryo.
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.” If Church is successful in his work to resurrect this legendary creature, it will be a massive victory towards combating the effects of extinction.
What this could mean for the world
Animals from the Mesozoic Era such as the Dinosaurs, the dodo bird, and other extinct creatures could be resurrected to expand our scientific understanding of the animal kingdom. Scientists will even have to means to save currently critically endangered animals such as the Bengal Tiger and the black rhinoceros from becoming extinct altogether! Although it’s quite clear that such a scientific breakthrough in the cloning process could help the modern world substantially, it does have its drawbacks.
Is this a good idea if it’s successful?
It's important to question whether the modern world is suitable to be inhabited by these legendary animals again. Most habitats that these animals thrived and lived on have either been destroyed or simply not longer exist. Such habitats would include proper living conditions such as climate and adequate prey to feed on.
It’s also important to note that most of these prehistoric creatures were huge and insatiable carnivores. In an era where humans make up a majority of the earth, dinosaurs could be potentially dangerous if left unsupervised or become difficult to control.
No matter what the outcome of Professor Church’s studies bring, his research truly shows how the work of one person can have the potential to change the world
