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Biotech

Checking Mammoth DNA Against Elephants Hints At How They Got Hairy 22

Posted by samzenpus from the ancient-snuffleupagus dept.
An anonymous reader writes: A new study on mammoth DNA comparing the hairy animals to their cousins, the Asian and African elephants, has isolated what genes separate it from its warm-weather cousins. The study found that genes controlling skin and hair development, fat metabolism, insulin signaling, and skull shape, differed from today's contemporary elephant species. "They have this weird hump on their back, which is thought to be something like a camel hump — sort of a fat deposit that stored water and energy for the cold, dark winters," says Vincent Lynch, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago.
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Checking Mammoth DNA Against Elephants Hints At How They Got Hairy More

Checking Mammoth DNA Against Elephants Hints At How They Got Hairy

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  • Well.... (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward

    If you have an Ass like that, you would stop waxing too.... Just ask the Kardashians...

  • Closest Relitaves (Score:2, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward

    With the rock hyrax(a guinea pig sized communal animal) and the sea cows being the closest relatives there is obviously much flexibility in the genetic makeup of an elephant
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

  • How to revive the Mammoth species (Score:3)

    by currently_awake ( 1248758 ) on Sunday July 05, 2015 @02:12PM (#50048683)
    To revive a dead species, that you don't have complete DNA for: Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. Keep adding bits and pieces as you can, getting closer to the lost species. Set up a wildlife park where people can come and see them.

    • Re:How to revive the Mammoth species (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 05, 2015 @02:29PM (#50048735)

      I just watched a documentary on such a park in IMAX 3D last Friday. It was quite informative but lacked a dance off.

      4/5 stars

    • "To revive a dead species, that you don't have complete DNA for: Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. "

      Who cares how they look, you have to check if they're tasty.

    • Start with the closest living relative. Change the major parts, that you know of. See how the results look. Keep adding bits and pieces as you can, getting closer to the lost species

      Your generation time is 2 decades (human like). Have your ungrateful grandchildren continued with your project? Did they even try to continue seeking funding for your experiment after your retirement?

  • Based on my research (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 05, 2015 @02:16PM (#50048701)
    Having Googled "hairy mammoth" and visited a few search results, I've concluded I never want to Google "hairy mammoth" ever again.

    • When things are getting hairy, you just have to keep pushing through.

    • Having Googled "hairy mammoth" and visited a few search results, I've concluded I never want to Google "hairy mammoth" ever again.

      You piqued my curiosity. So despite being at work, I took the risk and googled "hairy mammoth"...

      ... and I was quite disappointed that most text links were indeed talking about the "woolly mammoth" species, not something else. Ok, so I clicked "Images". Second disappointment: most pix were just hairy mammothes (you know, the elefant-like animal, not "bears", not Portuguese ladies or whatever...). 98% percent mammoth, with the odd (non-hairy, and non-obese) girl thrown in. Or are you using a different googl

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