Thoughts on cloning extinct animals
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Author Topic: Thoughts on cloning extinct animals  (Read 1533 times)
President Johnson
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« on: November 01, 2019, 04:11:31 AM »

This should be an interesting ethical question: Should extinct animals be allowed to be cloned? I've recently watched a documentary about the most recent global ice age, and scientists found preserved blood of a mammoth in Russian permafrost for 40,000 years (here is an article about the discovery). So theoretically, it could be possible to clone the mammoth. The scientists, however, raised the question whether this would be ethical or not.

I have mixed feelings, but generally think it shouldn't be just outlawed. Thoughts?
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Kalwejt
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« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2019, 08:10:50 AM »

I don't see resurrecting extinct species as unethical per se. It's a question of doing it responsibly. For example, creating a large numbers of an extinct species and releasing it into the wild would've likely have an unforeseen and disruptive effect on the environment. But under controlled and limited conditions it's fine, and if anything it could provide may invaluable opportunities to science.
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« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2019, 09:00:38 AM »

I don't see resurrecting extinct species as unethical per se. It's a question of doing it responsibly. For example, creating a large numbers of an extinct species and releasing it into the wild would've likely have an unforeseen and disruptive effect on the environment. But under controlled and limited conditions it's fine, and if anything it could provide may invaluable opportunities to science.

This, i'm also in favour for it, for research proposes. There is also a little Siberian island in Russia where they can thrive, i don't know how it's called (but it's nicknamed mammoth island). Others can be in the zoo and others can be used for research proposes as long as the techniques being used are ethical.
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DC Al Fine
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« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2019, 09:06:30 AM »

Can we not re-enact Jurassic Park? K thx
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Continential
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« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2019, 09:16:34 AM »

It should be in a controlled environment.
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dead0man
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« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2019, 01:53:56 PM »

as long as it's recently extinct animals (that were most likely killed off by humans) like the mentioned mammoth, sure, why not.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2019, 11:35:33 PM »

The main ethical problem is what would you use as a surrogate mother to bring the clone to term? A secondary problem is we might have difficulty in providing extinct animals with an appropriate microbiome. Another is what about behaviors they would've learned from their parents and/or herd?
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Computer89
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« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2019, 12:36:20 AM »

Can we not re-enact Jurassic Park? K thx
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Farmlands
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« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2019, 05:46:14 AM »

Absolutely approve, though it would probably be for the best if they never were released into the wild. The amount of scientific research generated through this process alone would be worth it. I wouldn't see it as unethical either.
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peenie_weenie
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« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2019, 02:30:22 PM »

The best case for doing this is if the resurrected species can provide valuable ecosystem services, e.g., controlling pests, grazing on invasive plants, or stabilizing a food chain.

Unless there's some sort of disproportionate benefit I think it's more important to conserve extant species rather than resurrect extinct species. Despite the changing environment it's much more likely that extant species will be adapted to current conditions (and likely to adapt to changing environments) than species that went extinct hundreds of years ago when the climate was very different.
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Kingpoleon
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« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2019, 10:10:57 AM »

The main ethical problem is what would you use as a surrogate mother to bring the clone to term? A secondary problem is we might have difficulty in providing extinct animals with an appropriate microbiome. Another is what about behaviors they would've learned from their parents and/or herd?
Asian elephants are broadly similar enough to be able to bring them to term, assuming we don’t develop an artificial womb.

I broadly support this idea, so long as we implement it reasonably and responsibly. Limit it to a few small islands at first so we can ascertain the negative effects on a limited scale. It should be noted woolly mammoths can swim in the ocean, too, for at least seven kilometers.

Proof:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_mammoth#Evolution
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HillGoose
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« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2019, 10:02:55 PM »

That sounds dope as
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Higgins
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« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2019, 06:31:45 PM »

A more interesting question would be that, if we could, should we clone extinct human species such as Neanderthals and the like back into existence? Considering our own species (although we are technically mixed with Neanderthals and other species) rendered them extinct.

It would be nice to say that we're not the only form of humanity on this planet. Another human species might also be as alien to us as well, actual aliens in thought process.
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jfern
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« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2019, 06:34:30 PM »

They are trying to bring back the Gastric-brooding frog. It has a small habitat and went extinct recently, so there are no real side effects to worry about.
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Santander
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« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2019, 09:57:46 AM »

A more interesting question would be that, if we could, should we clone extinct human species such as Neanderthals and the like back into existence? Considering our own species (although we are technically mixed with Neanderthals and other species) rendered them extinct.

They are not extinct. They just put on red caps and call themselves Republicans.
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TDAS04
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« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2019, 01:54:11 PM »

That would certainly be a project of mammoth proportions.
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Not_A_Doctor
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« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2019, 07:39:40 PM »

I don't have a problem with bringing back extinct animals, so long as they don't pose a threat to humans or to the ecosystem. we certainly shouldn't be trying to bring back dinosaurs or other large predators, and I also wouldn't support trying to bring back extinct hominids.
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Santander
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« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2019, 08:44:58 PM »

Can we bring back these guys?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_white_rhinoceros
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
Ernest
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« Reply #18 on: November 13, 2019, 11:48:54 PM »


Do we even have the genetic material to do it? That's always going to be a concern with attempts to revive a species.
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Kingpoleon
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« Reply #19 on: November 14, 2019, 05:21:47 PM »

Do we even have the genetic material to do it? That's always going to be a concern with attempts to revive a species.
Considering the last male only died ~5 years ago? Um... yes. Genetic material is pretty hardy.
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Roblox
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« Reply #20 on: November 22, 2019, 07:50:34 PM »

I support doing it in cases where humans were obviously responsible for their demise…For example, the Thylacine or the Northern White Rhino. However, I would strongly lean against doing so for prehistoric creatures, assuming you could even find complete enough DNA to do so. Nature selected them for extinction, so its best to keep it that way.

However, since this is an imperfect world and resources are limited, we should definitely put more focus on conserving extant animals that are teetering on the brink.
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Huey Long is a Republican
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« Reply #21 on: November 22, 2019, 09:02:46 PM »

I support in the case of animals who went extinct in the last 10-5,000 years or so. Anything from before then could have dramatic effects on the environment, but animals like the Thylacine, Caspian Tiger, Iberian Iybex, and the like could prove invaluable to the native environments and to help us find out more about the lineages of these animals so we can further complete the fossil record. Remember, we still don't know how Big Cats evolved.

However, something we must take into account is how much the natural environment has changed from when this species first inhabited the Earth. If it's semi-similar to when it originally died out, then yes, but if it isn't, then no.

Also, for those fearing about potential jurassic parks, the closest we can come to resurrecting Dinosaurs (I use that term loosely) is given chickens features of Dinosaurs. Look up Chickenosaurus. It's quite interesting. But seriously, how threatened would you feel about a feathered reptile running at you when it's small enough for you to punt across the ground with ease? Doesn't sound like much of a threat to me.
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UWS
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« Reply #22 on: November 24, 2019, 07:28:56 PM »

Fully support it. That will be good for biodiversity, ecosystems and for science. Btw, scientists plan to inset woolly mammoth genes into an Asian elephant embryo in 2020 and as female elephants are usually pregnant for 22 months, I guess the first cloned mammoth will be born somewhere in 2022.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/7139594/woolly-mammoth-cloned-russia-dna/
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« Reply #23 on: November 24, 2019, 07:32:29 PM »

Fully support it. That will be good for biodiversity, ecosystems and for science. Btw, scientists plan to inset woolly mammoth genes into an Asian elephant embryo in 2020 and as female elephants are usually pregnant for 22 months, I guess the first cloned mammoth will be born somewhere in 2022.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/7139594/woolly-mammoth-cloned-russia-dna/

Thing is, will it be successful tho? We have the Iberian Ibex to show that cloning sometimes doesn't work.
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Grassroots
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« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2019, 12:54:38 PM »

We should be putting more research into this and trying this out before the experts make a final conclusion. This is a huge scientific frontier.
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