this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2025

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Scientists aiming to bring back woolly mammoth create woolly mice (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 3 months ago by SquiffSquiff@lemmy.world to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 85 points 3 months ago (33 children)

Can I be nit-picky here for a second?

If you're genetically modifying an elephant for cold tolerance and fur growth, you're not "bring a mammoth back from extinction", you're creating a furry elephant. It may look somewhat like a mammoth, but genetically it's not a mammoth at all.

It's like saying you can genetically modify a homo-sapien to have a pronounced brow ridge and a hairier back and say that you've brought the neandertal back from extinction. No you haven't, you've just designed a human who looks different.

[–] gofsckyourself@lemmy.world 29 points 3 months ago

Well, the goal isn't to just create woolly mammoth-lile creatures by copying characteristics. The goal is to recreate the genome from what genome data we have into a living creature.

It's not like they are trying to create a sweded version, but take a creature that is already close and change the genes to match.

At least, that's how I understood it based on the article.

[–] Silic0n_Alph4@lemmy.world 14 points 3 months ago (2 children)

And next you’ll say that genetically-modified ears aren’t enough to make catgirls real either 😩

Can we let this one go? Not for science, not for accuracy, but for the prospect of having catgirls in our lifetimes, at least?

[–] RippleEffect@lemm.ee 3 points 3 months ago

And catboys! We can be equal opportunity here.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Give me the genetherapy that makes me an anthropomorphic dog.

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[–] yyprum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 months ago

I already have the hairy back, can I say I am half neanderthalensis? Better than homo sapiens seeing how things are going...

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[–] popekingjoe@lemmy.world 52 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Everything weird about this aside... Those mice are fucking adorable.

[–] IzzyJ@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

Agreed 100%. I know they arent for sale, but I kinda want to look into them as pets

[–] quoll@lemmy.sdf.org 45 points 3 months ago (1 children)

mouse sized woolly mammoth would be pretty fucking cool.

imagine the sound when he toots his little trunk.

could store him in the fridge.

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

But how would he get in the fridge?

[–] Birch@sh.itjust.works 16 points 3 months ago

Open door, giraffe goes out, mammoth goes in, close door

[–] Fuckfuckmyfuckingass@lemmy.world 44 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Kind of a dick move to bring an animal from the Ice Age, back to experience global warming.

[–] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 24 points 3 months ago

Global warming 2 extinction boogaloo

[–] mcqtom@lemmy.world 23 points 3 months ago

This was wise. They had to create the woolly mice so that when they create the woolly mammoths, they can woolly control them.

[–] teft@lemmy.world 20 points 3 months ago

Is this how we get tribbles?

[–] fiendishplan@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago

The 15ft tall 8,000 pound mouse was last seen rampaging in the downtown area. OK that's what I wanted the article to say.

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

Oh my god I want one so bad

[–] takeheart@lemmy.world 10 points 3 months ago

new Pokémon just dropped?

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 10 points 3 months ago (2 children)

But no little tiny tusks? No trunk? Lame. Is it so wrong to want a tiny mammoth I can hold in one hand?

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[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago

How many butts do the mice have?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This means they’re gonna make wooly elephants and try to make us call them woolly mammoths.

[–] DerArzt@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

We spared no expense!

[–] SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 months ago

Tribbles!

[–] the_q@lemm.ee 7 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Why? How about focusing on preventing more extinctions instead of some Jurassic Park bullshit.

[–] Alteon@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago

We already know how to prevent more extinctions. Better environmental laws, more green spaces, better conservation efforts, less suburban sprawl, etc. You know, things that will never happen.

[–] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago

We have to experiment with mice before achieving the ultimate goal of laser shooting sharks.

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[–] Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Got the woolly m, just need a few more letters.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 5 points 3 months ago

I'd like to buy a vowel. "U?"

Damnit!

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Ever since I was a kid I've always been hyped about the idea of them bringing back the mammoth. Been hearing about it my whole life...

But I have to ask... Why are we trying to, exactly? I mean, the planet's heating up. why are we trying to reintroduce a woolly mammoth? It's one thing if they're talking about using actual mammoth DNA and cloning it, but that article was talking about specifically just turning on some genes that cause fur and cold tolerance... What is the point of just making furry elephants at this point? Where are we sticking them, and why are we sticking them there? Is there some ecological niche that needs filling? Are we going to attempt to populate Antarctica (and hope it stays cold enough for that?) with hirsute pachyderms?

How about a different plan? As much as I have been excited woolly mammoths my entire life, let's try something a little different. Let's shrink the elephants we have, and introduce them into North America. Elephants the size of bison, roaming the continent. You can still make them cold tolerant, to handle winters, and give em some fur if you want. But the elephants we have are going extinct, and you're worrying about bringing back something else. How about we save what we have? Let them roam and graze Europe and North America, replacing the Aurochs and the bison. God knows we're not going to stop eating anything too cow like, so wild bison is basically right out. Let's let the elephant fill these niches, and save the species. They're too fucking smart to let die. Elephants got fucking religion, y'all. We cannot let them die.

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Reintroducing mammoths in the arctic could potentially help reduce the climate change.

There is a scientist in Siberia who built the Pleistocene Park. An area where he reintroduced a lot of large herbivores and studied their impact. He's saying that boreal forest have a very low biodiversity compared to mammoth steppes. The steppes have way more animals, are stocking way more carbon in the soil and prevent methane leaks by keeping the permafrost frozen due to the low albedo of the biome.

The problem is that with the mammoths are indispensable to maintain the steppes. They are the only animal big enough to clear up trees, without them the forest is taking over and all the ecosystem of the steppes disappear.

So (according to this scientist), resurrecting the mammoth could revive a whole ecosystem, with a very rich biodiversity and that could have a give impact on the climate.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So there is a good reason, then? I've googled it before, and the best answers I've gotten are basically "cause MAMMOTHS!"

If that's the case and there's a good reason, then hell yeah, do whatever we can to prevent climate collapse!

But also, give me small elephants, please? Especially if they can manage Chihuahua sized elephants. I would have so many! And I would make sure they always have a clear view of the moon goddess they worship

[–] Silic0n_Alph4@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Don’t let me harsh your vibe here, but are you sure about the moon thing? https://www.iflscience.com/the-internet-appears-to-believe-elephants-worship-the-moon-58666

I’m down with chihuahua-sized elephants, though, don’t get me wrong here.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I mean, I figured it was more meme-y than accurate, but good to know. Still, they're smart as fuck and mourn their dead, and seem to have rituals, sacred spaces, and generational knowledge. Shrink them suckers down and let me give a whole herd of petite pachyderms a patch of paradise, please

[–] wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just saying that, if they are sapient, you'd basically be doing an Oompa Loompa to the elephants.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 months ago

Oompa loompa doompety doo I've got a perfect puzzle for you Oompa loompa doompety dee If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get when you capture and cage Tiny elephants filled with wisdom and rage? Forcing them to work against their own will What do you think they'll do when they've had their fill?

Oompa loompa doompety dack If you're not cruel, they won't attack You will live in happiness too Like the Oompa Loompa doompety do

They may be small but they're clever and bright With memories long and a thirst to fight They'll band together while you sleep at night And stomp on your toes with all of their might!

Oompa loompa doompety dight Listen to now and set things right You can befriend them instead of enslave And they'll trumpet your name from tunnel to cave

What can you gain from your wicked small zoo? When friendship and trunk-shakes are waiting for you? The karma returning from your evil schemes Will haunt all your days and plague all your dreams!

Oompa loompa doompety doo Treat little creatures with respect that's true Oompa loompa doompety dee Set those wee elephants instantly free!

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We need to answer the age old question - what did wooly mammoths taste like?

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[–] RaoulDook@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"We were like this close" 🤏

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

I like to imagine that every time they open the big test tube/canister thing, it's a totally different animal, but woolly.

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