Ancient Mammoth Life Return

Dream of reviving the dinosaurs and ancient animals such as the sequel to Jurassic Park took another step closer to reality. Scientists have mapped most of the genetic code of ancient mammoths, elephants older brother who has a bushy-haired body.

List of the genetic code is translated from 20 clumps of hair cell extracts taken from mummified mammoths woolly mammoths found in permafrost of Siberia, Russia. Mammoths which can grow to a height of more than 5 meters lived about 10,000 years ago.

If the entire genetic map (genome) is complete is encoded, it is not impossible mammoths can be revived through biotechnology. Scientists who conducted the study to predict in the next 10-20 years, mammoths could be revived as the more advanced the development of cloning technology, stem cells, and the like.

"That's possible. That need to be questioned just because we know can do it once, do we have to do it? "Says Stephan Schuster, an expert in biochemistry at Pennsylvania State University who conducted the study.

Extraction of DNA from hair really significant stuff than the promise of fossil bones have been found in other ancient creatures. As an illustration, cell extracts from the bones of Neanderthals, leaving only 6 percent of the list of all the DNA.

While the hair of the mammoth, as reported in the latest Nature journal, has managed to uncover 80 percent of the DNA list. Code remaining a matter of time considering the extracted cells are still very intact stored either in ice.

However, no single scientist who knows how to utilize the genetic code is to revive mammoths. Surely, scientists must find a way of generating embryos from the genetic material of these mammoths.

There are at least two possible ways can be used to alter genetic material into living mammoths. The first way is to use an elephant as an intermediary cells that have the genetic code is not much different. Another way is to produce a new organism by assembling parts per part of the genetic code. Both ways are equally complex and difficult at the moment but not impossible in the future.

Japanese scientists involved in research mummified mammoths of Siberia and even had other ambitions are more likely. Currently they are still seeking the remaining sperm in the body that may be preserved mammoth carcasses. If the sperm is still intact is not impossible that mammoths could be born from the womb of an elephant. Who knows.