Jurassic Park Science

Nepre writes: "I came across this story on the BBC web site. It seems scientists have found a tick that was preserved in amber. There is some speculation that it might contain the blood of some prehistoric creatures."

Not enough DNA in a tick's stomach

[PD]

They need to start looking for prehistoric vampire hampsters preserved in amber. Those vicious little animals could put a lot of blood in their stomachs, plus they used to pack quite a load in their little cheek pouches. Thankfully, they died out when no more dinosaur blood could be found.

a future jurassic park?

[Vuarnet]

Well I for one hope that scientist don't make the same mistakes as those portrayed in Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park". With dinosaurs running loose in the park, and eating a lawyer. That's too horrible to even imagine.

I mean, poor dinosaur! If I had just eaten a lawyer and had such an indigestion, I'd too be running around roaring all night long. Somebody call the PETA!

Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

More than one

[Marc Boucher]

I've recently seen on TV (here in Europe) a news report about a man how literally travels the world to collect all sorts of ticks emprisoned in amber. He has different species ranging from microscopic one to some rather big (1 inch). I don't recall his name but I'll come back with more information if I find.

Ticks and lizzards?

[MulluskO]

I don't spend that much time outdoors, and I doubt that many slashdotters do, but I have yet to see a lizzard with a tick on it.

I work at a zoo, but that doesn't count, the lizzards are all indoors, and well groomed and cared for. No ticks on the zoo lizzards, anyhow.