Regenerating a Mammoth for $10 Million

science:

“Scientists are talking for the first time about the old idea of resurrecting extinct species as if this staple of science fiction is a realistic possibility, saying that a living mammoth could perhaps be regenerated for as little as $10 million.” (via.)

“The world is changing so fast, and we’re all running to catch up. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but look. Dinosaurs and man… two species separated by 65 million years of evolution, have suddenly been thrown into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea of what to expect?” - Dr. Alan Grant (Jurassic Park)

Though not a dinosaur, this great quote immediately came to mind. Really, I believe that scientists should think long and hard about the ethical implications of bringing a mammoth back from extinction. Where will they keep it? What will they do to it? What kind of diseases could it harbor? Will current microbial diseases mutate differently in it? We won’t clone polar bears, which are struggling against extinction due to (arguably) human reasons, but we’ll clone a mammoth?

The progress of science is a necessity, but it needs to be progress in the right direction, not in every available direction.