Relic DNA
Relic DNA
Could a wooly mammoth walk on Earth again? Find out in this section.
Learning Objective: Explain the technological steps being taken to revive extinct species from genetic samples.
This is wooly mammoth hair under the microscope at 40x magnification. There are enough specimens frozen in ice and submerged in acidic peat bogs that it is possible to acquire hair relatively inexpensively.
Along with the hair, researchers have found mammoth chromosomes. A species that went extinct 4,000 years ago may walk the Earth again.
This video outlines attempts to use “relic DNA” to resurrect extinct species.
Watch this video; you can select the closed captioning “cc” option if you would like to see the text.
Mammoths are prominent in popular culture and people would probably pay to see a live mammoth in person. However, whether there is enough habitat to maintain the species, or whether this is an appropriate use of genetic technologies is in question. You could use resurrecting extinct species for this guide’s opinion media piece, if desired.
The next section focuses on a group of species that includes several endangered species: the raptors.
Check your knowledge – Relic DNA
Review your notes. Can you provide examples of species that may be “brought back to life?” If so, move forward to the next page.
Learning Objective:
Explain the technological steps being taken to revive extinct species from genetic samples.
Go back to the Endangered Species Page
Go forward to the Raptors Page
Conservation Contents
Complete all five of these sections before taking the quiz and submitting your media piece.
This Module
10: What do I do next?
This Guide
10A: Conservation
Products Information
10A: Quiz & Media
