Ancient DNA Research Revolutionizes Scientists’ Understanding of Extinct Animals

This article detailed current research which has the potential to shatter the very foundation of scientists’ current understanding of extinct animals. Such current understanding of ancient animals has, for centuries, been based upon reconstruction of skeletons of fossilized bones and teeth. Thus, through this work, scientists were able to discover much about the “physical characteristics” of these ancient animals, however next to nothing is known about the actual “physiological processes” that sustained them. By this new biotechnology, experts are able to decode ancient genes and reproduce proteins that the genes code for, delving deeper into the physiology of these extinct animals. This field of “paleophysiology” is brimming with potential, however true strides are notably several years off. It should be noted that the process of cloning in “Jurassic Park-esqe” methods is far out of reach, however such research is continuing to discover invaluable information about the physiology of the organisms of the ancient world.

I really enjoyed this article, but as I was reading it, I could not help but to have flashbacks of the iconic Jurassic Park movies and novels. Though I am sure necessary precautions would be taken while working with such technology, it is inevitable that some undesirable repercussion might come of working with this technology. I also question the ethical code which binds experts working in this field, what, if any, limitations would need to be put upon such exploitation? I also questioned how long it would be until such experimentation with extinct proteins would have an adverse effect on some aspect of the modern world.