Should Extinct Animal Species be Revived?

[Firebrand]

@Ilovedragonites:

I don't see the logic behind any of your points. Time travel, first off, is irrelevant to the discussion at hand. That belongs in the realm of theoretically physics. We don't yet have the capability to time travel more than a fraction of a second into the future (that record is held by a russian cosmonaut who traveled .00003 seconds or so forward in time. Impressive no? /sarcasm). Some physicists believe time travel to the past in impossible, barring astral projection, which would mean we couldn't affect anything anyway. So don't worry about it.
However, we DO have the technology to clone/revive extinct or endangered animals.
I do not see how 'illegal cloning' could be a bad thing, at it's heart. This isn't a movie, where a mad scientist revives a sauropod that has been grafted with allosaurus DNA, making it a 70-foot tall killing machine. This is using fossilized genetic material to recreate a mammoth through it's genetically similar descendant, the elephant.
Also, all of these cloned creatures, at least at the start, would be kept in a highly controlled lab environment. Scientists wouldn't just create a mammoth and say: "Oh, great, we did it! Now, let's release it in Nova Scottia." No, the first few generations of these creatures would be kept under 24/7 observation in a secure environment. And even if we did release them gradually into a fitting habitat, we sort of already do things like that.
We reintroduce species to a place where they have become extinct or endangered. Gray wolves into Alaska. Bald eagles into... a lot of places where DDT killed them off. Tigers into the jungles of southeast asia.


The only problem I could foresee happening here is if we cloned a creature of human-level intelligence, and it was self-aware, and knew it was a clone, made in a lab, etc. Think Mewtwo.
Actually, Mewtwo was great up until the last half hour of his movie. He had an amazingly deep defense complex where he rationalized his existence with having power over lesser, natural born life forms. He viewed himself as something created to be 'perfect' and strove towards that 'perfection'.
(Of course, then the writers felt they needed Ash to save the day, so... character depth gone.)

What I'm saying here is that in the interest of science, there is nothing to lose by recreating a mammoth.

 

[Wyrm]

@Ilovedragonites:

I don't see the logic behind any of your points. Time travel, first off, is irrelevant to the discussion at hand. That belongs in the realm of theoretically physics. We don't yet have the capability to time travel more than a fraction of a second into the future (that record is held by a russian cosmonaut who traveled .00003 seconds or so forward in time. Impressive no? /sarcasm). Some physicists believe time travel to the past in impossible, barring astral projection, which would mean we couldn't affect anything anyway. So don't worry about it.
However, we DO have the technology to clone/revive extinct or endangered animals.
I do not see how 'illegal cloning' could be a bad thing, at it's heart. This isn't a movie, where a mad scientist revives a sauropod that has been grafted with allosaurus DNA, making it a 70-foot tall killing machine. This is using fossilized genetic material to recreate a mammoth through it's genetically similar descendant, the elephant.
Also, all of these cloned creatures, at least at the start, would be kept in a highly controlled lab environment. Scientists wouldn't just create a mammoth and say: "Oh, great, we did it! Now, let's release it in Nova Scottia." No, the first few generations of these creatures would be kept under 24/7 observation in a secure environment. And even if we did release them gradually into a fitting habitat, we sort of already do things like that.
We reintroduce species to a place where they have become extinct or endangered. Gray wolves into Alaska. Bald eagles into... a lot of places where DDT killed them off. Tigers into the jungles of southeast asia.


The only problem I could foresee happening here is if we cloned a creature of human-level intelligence, and it was self-aware, and knew it was a clone, made in a lab, etc. Think Mewtwo.
Actually, Mewtwo was great up until the last half hour of his movie. He had an amazingly deep defense complex where he rationalized his existence with having power over lesser, natural born life forms. He viewed himself as something created to be 'perfect' and strove towards that 'perfection'.
(Of course, then the writers felt they needed Ash to save the day, so... character depth gone.)

What I'm saying here is that in the interest of science, there is nothing to lose by recreating a mammoth.

I'm saying that, with modern technology that can be available to the public, some gang of people could possibly find a way to steal the machine and potentially release something in an area where it shouldn't be. People can do that just for the sake of disruption and making an impact on nature for kicks.

As for the time machine, if it were stolen, something preposterous could potentially happen. Same thing with recreating/cloning extinct animals. See above paragraph. We can never know what might happen, even if it's making one mammoth. Your argument that my argument is totally invalid is invalid.

 

[Drake Pokétrainer]

I'm saying that, with modern technology that can be available to the public, some gang of people could possibly find a way to steal the machine and potentially release something in an area where it shouldn't be. People can do that just for the sake of disruption and making an impact on nature for kicks.

As for the time machine, if it were stolen, something preposterous could potentially happen. Same thing with recreating/cloning extinct animals. See above paragraph. We can never know what might happen, even if it's making one mammoth. Your argument that my argument is totally invalid is invalid.

Err time machines are impossible. You can only go to the future if you're nearing the speed of light. You don't really travel in time but time just goes faster for you. Two weeks for you could be 20 years for everyone who isn't traveling at that speed.

The only things that make rips in timespace are black holes. And I doubt you'd want to get in one of those.

And seriously, how many times do I have to say in this thread that a few cloned animals can't have a big impact on nature and we don't have a wide enough gene pool of any extinct animal at the time to make a larger population?

 

[Wyrm]

Err time machines are impossible. You can only go to the future if you're nearing the speed of light. You don't really travel in time but time just goes faster for you. Two weeks for you could be 20 years for everyone who isn't traveling at that speed.

The only things that make rips in timespace are black holes. And I doubt you'd want to get in one of those.

And seriously, how many times do I have to say in this thread that a few cloned animals can't have a big impact on nature and we don't have a wide enough gene pool of any extinct animal at the time to make a larger population?

Look, I'm referring to the concept of it, not the actual thing. You know what I mean. It's IF time travel could happen. We're not discussing the actual science of it here. -.-


And sometimes large populations aren't required to get things haywire. They're like an invasive species. One or two of them can breed with something/each other and cause destruction among other species. There might be tiny things that we don't know of out there that help balance out everything in nature, and I'm not about to take that risk easily.

Sure, it might not do anything at all, but we may want to take major precautions before potentially activating the Butterfly Effect.

 

[Firebrand]

I'm saying that, with modern technology that can be available to the public, some gang of people could possibly find a way to steal the machine and potentially release something in an area where it shouldn't be. People can do that just for the sake of disruption and making an impact on nature for kicks.

I'm pretty sure Team Rocket doesn't exist in the real world. Just saying. And I'm sure that if we developed a new, experimental technology that could potentially wreak havoc on anything, it'd be locked up tighter than a flawless collection of original Matisse. There would be almost no way for some "gang of people" to get to it without a ton of prior planning. It would be the heist of the century, and this isn't a movie.

And sometimes large populations aren't required to get things haywire. They're like an invasive species. One or two of them can breed with something/each other and cause destruction among other species.

Sure, it might not do anything at all, but we may want to take major precautions before potentially activating the Butterfly Effect.

As I've said before, it will be in a controlled environment for a long time, enough to make sure that whatever creature we revive (or even CREATE) can adapt to and live in any given biome. Also, there is an ecological niche for large animals on the great plains of North America (especially in the decline of the buffalo), the mammoth's habitat of millenia past. There is also room for large predators, like lions or even tigers, which are very adaptive. And I'm not saying we should irresponsibly bring back droves of mammoth, packs of saber toothed tiger, and introduce large predators into the American Midwest, but we COULD, in the interest of science.
Back on topic, the presence of a mammoth would not cause truly adverse effects on the given plains biome, especially in a place like the Dakotas, where population of humans at least is sparse. There they could range quite far, without having to worry about people hunting/poaching them, and scientists could observe their behavior in an unobscurred habitat.

 

[Wyrm]

I'm pretty sure Team Rocket doesn't exist in the real world. Just saying. And I'm sure that if we developed a new, experimental technology that could potentially wreak havoc on anything, it'd be locked up tighter than a flawless collection of original Matisse. There would be almost no way for some "gang of people" to get to it without a ton of prior planning. It would be the heist of the century, and this isn't a movie.


As I've said before, it will be in a controlled environment for a long time, enough to make sure that whatever creature we revive (or even CREATE) can adapt to and live in any given biome. Also, there is an ecological niche for large animals on the great plains of North America (especially in the decline of the buffalo), the mammoth's habitat of millenia past. There is also room for large predators, like lions or even tigers, which are very adaptive. And I'm not saying we should irresponsibly bring back droves of mammoth, packs of saber toothed tiger, and introduce large predators into the American Midwest, but we COULD, in the interest of science.
Back on topic, the presence of a mammoth would not cause truly adverse effects on the given plains biome, especially in a place like the Dakotas, where population of humans at least is sparse. There they could range quite far, without having to worry about people hunting/poaching them, and scientists could observe their behavior in an unobscurred habitat.

Then maybe somebody would plan the heist of the century. Cloning/reviving is an extremely powerful thing if it falls in the wrong hands. And trust me, if 9/11 was planned, I'm sure cloning machine theft can efficiently planned as well. Never underestimate gangs(at least that's what the naughty ones come in) of seemingly innocent and incapable people. This is no Team Rocket. This is true criminal masterminds at large. There's a difference. A very big one, I might add.


We might be able to possibly put mammoths in the right place, but no matter what, that area would be disturbed to some degree. Any (re)introduction of a species can bring something new to the table. Whether it be hunting a species, rendering them helpless, or just causing slight confusion, something will happen. Maybe small, maybe large. Even if we do test everything, somebody could've overlooked something, causing nuisances or disasters in the future.

It's just not completely safe to go on with this. Something might happen, or nothing will happen. We'll never know now, will we?

 

[lugia p]

It would be cool and interesting, however humans shouldnt play God.

 

[11DBHK]

It would be cool and interesting, however humans shouldnt play God.

agreed. besides, they had their chance and had a good run. now it's our turn.

 

[Ivanka]

It would be cool and interesting, however humans shouldnt play God.

That was short and straight to the point. lol I actually agree with you a lot there. Things generally happen for a reason so I suppose that's one reason for not reviving them.

 

[Blue Harvest]

Then maybe somebody would plan the heist of the century. Cloning/reviving is an extremely powerful thing if it falls in the wrong hands.

How so. Its not magic, I don't see how a rouge terrorist organization cloning a mammoth is going to do so in secret, nor do I see how it really matters.

And trust me, if 9/11 was planned, I'm sure cloning machine theft can efficiently planned as well.

Sneaking a handful of box cutters aboard a plane is drastically less complicated than cloning.

Never underestimate gangs(at least that's what the naughty ones come in) of seemingly innocent and incapable people. This is no Team Rocket. This is true criminal masterminds at large. There's a difference. A very big one, I might add.

So I fail to see how this could POSSIBLY do any damage at all. I really don't think a hairy elephant in terrorist / team rocket hands is going to be worth anyone's time.

 

[Wyrm]

How so. Its not magic, I don't see how a rouge terrorist organization cloning a mammoth is going to do so in secret, nor do I see how it really matters.



Sneaking a handful of box cutters aboard a plane is drastically less complicated than cloning.



So I fail to see how this could POSSIBLY do any damage at all. I really don't think a hairy elephant in terrorist / team rocket hands is going to be worth anyone's time.

First, look very carefully at my above posts. I don't see how anybody could've missed my point without just skimming through it.

Second, I meant this theoretically. We don't know cloning will be possible, but if it was, I'm sure that somebody could figure it out.

And third, see(again) my above posts. Introduction of a new species may or may not be a recipe for disaster. It could be. And then the thieves would clone the mammoth, release them in the wrong area, and wreak havoc. IT'S A THING CALLED PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO MESS THINGS UP. I've seen them before.

 

[Grassmaster411]

As an amatuar Paleontologist, this forum is right up my alley. Im happy to participate.

As a catholic, I also agree about not playing God, but I feel we as humans have a duty to our planet, and the animals we ourselves caused the extinction of should be brought back in any way we can. If we can step away from the mammoth for a moment, I will clarify.

Extinct animals like dinosaurs, that we humans didn't cause the extinction of became extinct naturally. Whether by God or by natural selection is up to each idividual. But it should be noted that not much humans do anymore is natural, therefore, animals humans caused the extinction of is not a natural extinction. Also, they became extinct fairly recently, so there ecological niches have not been filled in, so the animals, if cloned and brought back, would have places on earth and in the food chain to live. That means that reintroducing the extinct species would be beneficial to the enviroment. I feel we should try to bring back the following species to retake there places in our world.

1. Thylacine (or tasmainian tiger)
2. Quagga
3. Passenger Pigeons
4. Caspian tiger
5. Steller's sea cow
6. Dodo
7. Blue antelope (or bluebuck)
8. Grey's wallaby
9. Dawson's caribou
10. Falklands fox (or warrah)
11. West indian monk seal
12. Aurochs
13 Megalainia (maybe not, considering how dangerous it would be.)

Now back to the main topic. Mammoths. IF humans caused there extinction, then bringing them back is a priority. They still own an ecological niche and habitat in this world. (Woolly mammoths in Alaska and Russia, Columbian Mammoths in Central U.S.A) But it is uncertain that we humans did indeed cause there extinction. Climate change, interbreeding and competition from modern elephants, and, my personal favorite, a meteorite striking a glacier, causing flooding and other natural disasters, could have ended there reign.

On the topic of what to do with them once we bring them back, a "special facilty" would be in order. I suggest something with an accurate habitat for the animals to live in, with keepers experts in Zoology and Paleontology. Hopefully only for 2 or 3 generations so they will be released into the wild as soon as possible. There is even a special park in Siberia called "Pleistocene Park". It's a wildlife sanctuary containing an ice age like ecosystem, with wolves, bison, caribou, horses, camels, and polar bears. Its missing the wooly mammoth, wooly rhino, and similodon. Because they became extinct much earlier than the mammoth, I don't think the wooly rhino or similodon should be revived. There are similar ecosystems across the planet.

I don't really have anything to say about if someone tried to steal clonning technology. Though it would be highly gaurded, it's not impossible to imagine it being stolen.

Finally, I'll end my lecture (yawn lol) by saying the mammoth won't be breaking any records if brought back. The pyreanean ibex, which went extinct in the year 2000, has already been cloned. Using tissue from the last known specimen, they impregnated more than 1,000 goats. Only a few hundred were accepted into the body, only 3 became pregnante, and only 1 was born. Sadly, she died of lung defects a few hours after birth. These lung defects have been seen in many cloned animals.

While this proves clonning any animal is difficult, its not impossible and not unreasonable to think we might be able to bring back more extinct animals in the future.

 

[Arceus94]

Reviving animals.. I am imagining Dr. Jekyl or something..
I wanna see a Therizinosaurus! they're cutecutecute n_n

 

[WillieNelson]

I think other species desearve a second chance at life. I heard that they are freezing animal cells so that if humans wipe them out, they may not be gone forever.

 

[Waterlover711]

i think they already cloned a sheep(but it didnt last long) and bringing creatures that were stronger than us back to life will just result in jerrasic park(anyone of them) and godzilla(american or japanese version) the movies.. so unless their put in a controlled enviroment with a high level of oxygen(cause earth was oxygen rich back then)and they perfected how to clone.. then that would be pretty cool..also if they could clone perfect copies then they need to sart to work on bringing pokemon to life....

 

[ShadowKyogre443]

i think they already cloned a sheep(but it didnt last long) and bringing creatures that were stronger than us back to life will just result in jerrasic park(anyone of them) and godzilla(american or japanese version) the movies.. so unless their put in a controlled enviroment with a high level of oxygen(cause earth was oxygen rich back then)and they perfected how to clone.. then that would be pretty cool..also if they could clone perfect copies then they need to sart to work on bringing pokemon to life....

lolwut

Anyway most of me wants these animals to be given a second chance at life, but then I realize these animals died out for a reason.

 

[ebilly99]

i think they already cloned a sheep(but it didnt last long) and bringing creatures that were stronger than us back to life will just result in jerrasic park(anyone of them) and godzilla(american or japanese version) the movies.. so unless their put in a controlled enviroment with a high level of oxygen(cause earth was oxygen rich back then)and they perfected how to clone.. then that would be pretty cool..also if they could clone perfect copies then they need to sart to work on bringing pokemon to life....

Dolly lived for years, now a good percentage of cattle are cloned. Most Dinosaurs were no biger then chickens so we could live with most, Heck by altering DNA and food rations we could have T-rex the size of Gine. Also the earths o2 is fairly constant, as higher o2 can create fires, killing plants thus limiting o2. Pokemon may be a little harder

 

[WillieNelson]

Dolly lived for years, now a good percentage of cattle are cloned. Most Dinosaurs were no biger then chickens so we could live with most, Heck by altering DNA and food rations we could have T-rex the size of Gine. Also the earths o2 is fairly constant, as higher o2 can create fires, killing plants thus limiting o2. Pokemon may be a little harder

Actually, in the carboniforus(sp?) period, there was about 30-something% O2 in the atmosphere compared to about 25 today, how else do you think they could get dragonflies 4+ feet long!?(I know, I'm such a science nerd)

 

[PrismaticPrincessAnna]

There's already loads of animals in the world
I think staying as fossils would be better, nya~

 

[Nephos]

Old species no but I think we should use it to make sure that current species don't die out