'Closer than people think': Woolly mammoth 'de-extinction' is nearing reality — and we have no idea what happens next
'Closer than people think': Woolly mammoth 'de-extinction' is nearing reality — and we have no idea what happens next
Scientists are getting very close to bringing a few iconic species, like woolly mammoths and dodos, back from extinction. That may not be a good thing.
What happens next? A short burst of mammoth steaks followed by re-extinction.
The science is very neat, but should likely be focusing on solving current issues instead of creating new ones.
Scientists have been edging us with woolly mammoths for decades.
Where the fuck are they going to live? The climate is rapidly warming and these are ice age creatures.
Bringing them back from extinction just so we can make sure they suffer before going extinct again by us.
There are countless species going extinct as I'm typing this bullshit.
Bringing back mammoths could have a sizable positive impact on arctic ecosystem AND climate change.
It sounds like a far fetched idea but this article is talking in details about this theory.
Right. Cuz the fastest and better way to stop this planet from a climate disaster is bringing back mammals from extinction while we are busy exterminatig all other life on the planet.
Sounds like pure hubries
What do you mean? We have the perfect conditions for this ice age monster elephant, they have wool because they want it warm, we have it warm now so why be upset??? /s
I don’t fucking care, I want woolly mammoths and dodos.
"We have no idea what happens next."
I'm pretty sure there's a movie about this.
Ah yes, yet another case of Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
"You are alive again, no need to thank us. Now go out and play, it's winter and 40°C, you'll love it!"
What happens next? A wave of even worse disregard for things.
After all, if we can bring back the mammoth, who cares if we off <insert species here>, they’ll just bring it back next rotation. /s
The first Jurassic Park quote applies here, a few have used a variation of that idea of doing something just because you can. The other quote follows it, "Dinosaurs and man, two species separated by 65 million years of evolution have just been suddenly thrown back into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea what to expect?"
These aren't dinosaurs and are a lot closer to us in the timeline, but definitely reintroducing them in a large scale would have some effect to the environment they're put in. Perhaps we only make a few...seems kind of pointless though to bring back a species but keep them at extinction levels. And can they even survive as they were in a warming planet? We might not even be able to, and we're younger and current.
The genetic science is cool, the consequences of the science are non-existent. The consequences of using them as bio-engineering agents is obviously an open question, but a distraction at this point of time since governments around the world have no appetite for environmental science that doesn't directly make someone money.
As for "what happens next," it either becomes commercially viable and wolly mammoths are seen as mundane and numerous in the next few decades, or it becomes a one-off like Dolly the sheep and the herd population of woolly mammoths stays <10 plus maybe a few zoos.
What happans next?
McDonalds releases a new burger!
Just because you can doesn't mean you should.