A scientific breakthrough.. A bird that has been extinct for centuries may come back to life
The bird became extinct centuries ago
British and American scientists are developing a "revolutionary" scientific method that may allow an extinct bird to be brought back to life, despite the end of its existence on earth since the seventeenth century.
According to scientific reports, this study relies on studying the DNA of the bird known as "Dodo", which lived on the island of Mauritius in the middle of the Indian Ocean until the late seventeenth century, and was unable to fly.
It may seem like a fantasy, because the animal has been extinct for centuries, but scientists make it clear that their quest is based on very carefully studied steps.
?What is the story of the project
This ambitious scientific project relies on studying the bird's DNA, as well as checking its genome sequences, then finding the bird closest to it in terms of breed , at the present time.
Science has made tangible progress in this field. Earlier, a successful experiment was carried out when a duck bird embryo was injected with germ cells from chickens , so it had DNA similar to that of a rooster.
The "Dodo" bird was present in abundance in Mauritius, but with the arrival of the sailors, its life was turned upside down, due to the daring of its echo, and the large number of rats.
This animal was very peaceful, and was not afraid to approach humans, and this made it more vulnerable to poaching, and it became extinct from the island in just a few decades.
The researchers say they are taking advantage of DNA technologies, genetic editing and what is known as synthetic biology.
Professor and researcher in evolutionary biology at the University of California, Beth Shapiro, explains that the world is witnessing an extinction crisis at the present time, stressing the need for action, and he said that he was able to complete an important part of the project.
Shapiro heads a project for Colossal Bioscience, a Texas-based company that seeks to leverage biology techniques to bring back extinct animals such as the Tasmanian tiger, mammoth, and even the dodo.
The American scientist explained that he had obtained "genetic sequences" from the ancient DNA of the bird, whose remains were found in Denmark.
Obstacles facing the project
This project faces several obstacles, due to the difficulty of reprogramming cells from a bird close to the "Dodo" with the DNA of the extinct bird.
This scientific method is based on removing the primary germ cells from the egg, then working on them in the laboratory in order to modify them, make them have the desired specifications, and then return them back to the egg until the development path is complete.
If this project succeeds, humanity will see first-hand a bird that has been extinct for centuries, but it will have been brought back to life.
Source : websites