In 1993, when Steven Spielberg released Jurassic Park, people were overwhelmed with the scientific technique of genome editing. The idea that extinct animals, such as a dinosaur, could be brought back to life was fascinating and exciting. However, it was an on-screen speculation that seemed distant from real life.
But in the last two decades, the scientific process of genome editing became popular for various reasons. It was used to produce high-yielding varieties of food crops and to treat genetic disorders, to mention a few examples. Scientists often ponder the possibility of bringing extinct animals back through the process of genome editing. Recently a startup has secured funding for scientists who could bring mammoths back to Siberia. The company announced its plan to create a “cold-resistant elephant with all of the core biological traits of the woolly mammoth.”
A team of scientists from Harvard University will be working on this project where they would develop a cross-species between the mammoth and the Asian elephant.
George Church, a biologist at Harvard Medical School said to the New York Times, “This is a major milestone for us. It’s going to make all the difference in the world.” Dr Church is part of a team of biologists at Harvard Medical School where he has been leading a small team of researchers developing the tools for reviving mammoths.
The researchers believe that reviving mammoths could help the environment. How?
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