Too bad that DNA concept in Jurassic Park won't really work :-/ It'd be kinda cool to have a zoo of prehistoric creatures running and flying around.

Thats being worked out as we "speak". INstead of finding DNA a la Jurassic park, its been shown that many developmental genes control what we consider to be avian characteristics.

Gene's that give a more sauriscian "look" have been turned off so to speak. Current work is attempting to turn these genes back on.

We may not get a T. rex, but something closer to what we think a dino may have looked like in the flesh.

oh wow...that's pretty interesting. I'm sure there will be alot of red tape they have to cross, and needless running around they have to do before they can get out of the "developmental" stages...as there are with most things that can have a significant impact.

So are you saying that they would in theory just alter, or turn on the genes of a reptile...lets say an alligator. And it will grow to resemble a dinosaur?

Very interesting.

I just watched a show about autopsying a baby wooly mammoth found frozen in the Tundra. They also showed frozen mammoth bones with incredibly preserved bone marrow.

Would finding a dinosaur in that kind of frozen state of preservation make a cloning possible?

Not necessarily reptile.




Follow the link above to a decent "cladogram" showing how dino's and reptiles are related. reptiles, such as the crocs, are a much older group. Dinos basically split off from a common ancestor.



Birds are thought to be more closely related to dinos than reptiles:




So yes, they just might be able to produce a varmit that at least closely resembles a dinosaur.


Sorry for the information overload, but this kind of material really excites the science geek within. :)

I doubt if they'd find dinosaur specimens in such a condition. The age difference (65MYA vs 12,000 years ago) makes finding viable dinosaur DNA highly unlikely. Dinosaur connective tissue (collagen) has been recently found. Perhaps if they know the amino acid sequence, the DNA sequence could be "reverse engineered". (see link below)

Apparently, T rex did taste like chicken.




Also, from what I think I know, dinosaurs didn't inhabit areas conducive to freezing specimens. So that might play a role as well.

I think I just found an unknown species I can send pics to whoever doesn't believe me. I want a contact number to a researcher if anyone can find one I'd like that alot, thanks!