Scientists To Clone Prehistoric Giant Cave Lion?

Summary

In Yakushi, Russia, a perfectly preserved cave lion cub, extinct for over 50,000 years, was discovered in melting permafrost. This rare find has piqued the interest of South Korean and Russian scientists who are considering cloning the species using its well-preserved DNA. The cave lion, a predator of the Late Pleistocene with no modern rivals, could be brought back to life through splicing its DNA with that of the closest living relative, the African lion. While the cloning is not yet planned, the possibility raises ethical questions about playing God or opening Pandora's Box.

Takeaways

• 🐾 A perfectly preserved cave lion, an extinct species from over 50,000 years ago, was discovered in Yakushi, Russia.
• 🧬 The cave lion's DNA is so well preserved that South Korean and Russian scientists are considering cloning it.
• 🌐 The find has attracted significant attention, drawing parallels to the cloning scenario in 'Jurassic Park'.
• 🦁 Cave lions were predators during the Late Pleistocene, living alongside woolly mammoths and becoming extinct around 10,000 years ago.
• 📚 Dr. Valarie Plotnikov from the Academy of Science Sakha Republic provided insights into the cave lion's characteristics and diet.
• 🔍 The cave lion was larger than modern lions, lacked a mane, and had a different tail structure.
• 🏞️ In the Late Pleistocene, cave lions had no significant competition from other predators like bears and wolves.
• 🥩 Their diet mainly consisted of reindeer, noble deer, young mammoths, wild horses, and musk oxen.
• 🐾 Dr. Albert Protopopov suggested that the preservation of the lion cub's remains could enable future cloning attempts.
• 🚫 Despite the possibility, there are currently no plans to clone the cave lion, according to Dr. Plotnikov.
• 🤔 The script raises ethical questions about cloning extinct animals, comparing it to 'playing God' or opening a 'Pandora's Box'.

Q & A

What was the discovery made in Yakushi, Russia?

The discovery was of a perfectly preserved cave lion, a species that died out over 50,000 years ago, within a bear layer along the freezing banks of a river.

Why is the cave lion significant?

The cave lion is significant because it was recently released by ancient permafrost that is currently melting in the area, and it is extremely well preserved, making it a potential candidate for cloning.

What is the connection between the cave lion and the concept of Jurassic Park?

The cave lion's well-preserved state has led some scientists to consider it for an attempted cloning program, similar to the concept of reviving extinct species as depicted in Jurassic Park.

Which countries' scientists are interested in cloning the cave lion?

A group of South Korean and Russian scientists are interested in using the cave lion's DNA for a potential cloning program.

What was the cave lion's diet during the Late Pleistocene period?

The cave lion mostly fed on reindeer, noble deer, young mammoths, wild horses, and musk oxen.

What type of life did the cave lion lead during the Late Pleistocene?

The cave lion most likely led a solitary life, as it had no rivals among bears, wolves, and other predators, and faced no significant competition.

What is the current stance on cloning the cave lion?

While the scientists believe that extracting the cave lion's DNA and splicing it with the genomes of modern-day African lions could be successful, there are currently no plans to clone the cave lion.

What is the relationship between the cave lion and modern-day African lions?

Modern-day African lions are the closest modern relatives of the extinct cave lion, and their genomes could potentially be used in the cloning process.

What are the ethical considerations regarding the cloning of extinct animals?

The ethical considerations include whether scientific breakthroughs in cloning extinct animals are akin to 'playing God' or if they might open a 'Pandora's Box' with unforeseen consequences.

What was the time frame of the Late Pleistocene period, during which the cave lion lived?

The Late Pleistocene period lasted from 150,000 to 10,000 years ago, and the cave lion became extinct at the end of this period, about 10,000 years ago.

How did Dr. Valarie Plotnikov describe the physical differences between the cave lion and modern lions?

Dr. Valarie Plotnikov noted that the cave lion was slightly larger than the modern lion, but it did not have a mane, and there was no tassel at the end of its tail like modern African lions have.