• Question: How do you [theoretically] clone something? What is stopping us from reintroducing animals such as dodos from their DNA?

    Asked by Zealousy to Josh, Chris on 24 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Josh Meyers

      Josh Meyers answered on 24 Jun 2015:

      I’m no expert in this.

      But theoretically, you can implant a cell containing the DNA from a dodo into the egg cells of a closely related animal. This embryo can then be implanted back into the animal (or egg) for development. For the dodo, the closest relative is a fat pigeon that lives in mauritius.

      The problem with the dodo, is that there is no DNA that is well preserved enough to do this. Mauritius has a hot climate and their DNA has been long since degraded.

      A few years ago they found a wooly mammoth preserved in ice in russia. Now they have well preserved DNA from this! Maybe they could grow it in an elephant?

      There is still an ethical debate as to whether it is wise to reintroduce extinct animals back into the world.

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