Geromo, Ehra Jean A.

BS BIO 2202

DINOSAUR CLONING

A complex and complicated process that copies exactly the genetic or inherited traits
of an animal or plant is called cloning. Several species that scientists have been tested and
successful cloned like cattle, sheep and goats. As year passes by, scientists have also cloned
rabbits, cats, mice, horses and dogs. In making a clone species, firstly transfer the DNA from
an animal's somatic cell into an egg cell that containing nucleus and DNA is removed. Next,
the egg will produce into an embryo that carries identical genes as the cell donor. Lastly, the
embryo is inserted into an adult female's uterus to grow.
But the question, is it possible to clone a long-extinct creature like dinosaurs? Well, in
my opinion, it would be really challenging to clone a species like dinosaurs because they
became extinct and died off after an asteroid slammed the Earth a million years ago. Though,
DNA can be preserved and purified for a long-term storage, it is still impossible to produce a
similar creature of the dinosaur. Additionally, there is no scientific evidence that any
dinosaurs are still alive other than birds.
Ever since numerous dinosaur movies came in Hollywood and attract many people
because of a way in creating the dinosaur, wondering if cloning a species from a prehistoric
portion of DNA is possible. However, according to an article wrote by Ronald Wesley of
Basic PLUS Author, the particular problem of cloning is finding a well preserved dinosaur
DNA. Also, this can be only acquired if only identifying the comprehensive and exact cycle
of any one of the dinosaur species. The chances of dinosaurs cloning could be achieved if
dinosaur weren't extinct and still alive today. Another article from Jack Horner, a
paleontologist at the Montana State University stated that cloning has been accomplished at
the cellular level but not at the strand of DNA level. As for extinct taxa, it is uncertain if
whether or not DNA actually can survive more than a million years. No one has been capable
to prove in retrieving the extinct species. Today, no found of living cells of any extinct taxa
from the species of dinosaurs. Hence, it cannot be fulfilling the identical type of cloning
without able to obtained ancient DNA cells and formulating the exact embryonic conditions.
References:

Scientific American (1999, October 21). How close are we to being able to reconstruct the
DNA of long-extinct creatures--dinosaurs, for instance? Retrieved from
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-close-are-we-to-being/.

Wesley, Ronald (2008, October 15). Dinosaur Cloning. Retrieved from

https://ezinearticles.com/?Dinosaur-Cloning&id=1588354