Should scientists use cloning to save extinct animals, like the Ibex?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$6 Answers
Even if they have several genetic "molds" they can build from, the species is still going to have a tragically small gene pool. This exact problem is actually being faced today by the cheetah population.
http://lynx.uio.no/jon/lynx/cheetahgenes.html
"Before conducting genetic studies for Craig Packer's Lion project, I examined the genetic history of the Cheetah, whose range once spanned the globe. I was amazed to find that every one of today's 20,000 Cheetahs is genetically almost identical. They descend from survivors of a near-extinction catastrophe that resulted in generations of close inbreeding 10,000 years ago. "
My $0.02
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$Cloning in order to study the living specimens can be a gold mine of information and research in the field of biology, but I doubt there is a value, or a real intent, to "save" in the sense that we'd clone enough of them for them to breed and be re-introduced into the wild, being given a 'second chance'--that is, unless there is a real and VERY significant (just imagine how much time, effort, and money it would take to bring a species from extinct to eminent from scratch!) benefit overall to them being 'reborn' that way.
Overall, yes, of course this should be done if it can be. Not doing so would be akin to not building a better telescope even if we had all the resources to. There's no good reason to restrain our own pursuit of knowledge when it comes to this particular subject, and I'd have hard time thinking of ethical concerns when we're talking about bringing a creature BACK TO LIFE for science.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$Personally, I am all for this - provided that the humans were the cause of the creatures extinction, which is the case with the Ibex.
Life.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
@clarusvisum
While I don't agree with the term Playing God - That is technically what we would be doing, no? I am all for science, I love science and hope it is given a lot more respect than it currently has, but you can't help but agree that we are 'growing' creatures that were 'meant to die'
Everything done in the field of medicine (to name just one) could be construed as "playing God". Giving infants vaccines can be considered "playing God", as it causes countless children to not die deaths they otherwise would have, if left alone.
I've never seen how the description "playing God" has ever been cogent or relevant...have you?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
