Mammoth moves: frozen cells come to life, but only just

phys.org...

A team of scientists in Japan has successfully coaxed activity from 28,000-year-old cells from a frozen mammoth implanted into mouse cells, but the woolly mammal is unlikely to be walking among us soon.

The project by an international team took cell nuclei from a well-preserved mammoth discovered in 2011 in Siberian permafrost and placed them into several dozen mouse egg cells.

Of those, five displayed the biological reactions that happen just before cell division begins, said Kei Miyamoto, a member of the team at Kindai University in western Japan.

The research—published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports—doesn't provide much hope for Jurassic Park-style resurrection of long-extinct species just yet, he cautioned.

This is kinda cool. Scientists have managed to get reactions out of mammoth cells frozen for 28,000. They do mention we're definitely not at Jurrasic Park level cloning yet but it's still interesting to get any signs of life from 28,000 year old cells. This also provides some evidence showing something like cryogenics may actually be something that could become possible some day.

a reply to: dug88

Just creation one and it's a billion dollar a year theme park!

a reply to: dug88

Frogs and the likes of Tardigrades have already proven cryogenics is possible.

Be rather cool to see a Mammoth walking around again at some point all the same.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: dug88

Frogs and the likes of Tardigrades have already proven cryogenics is possible.

Be rather cool to see a Mammoth walking around again at some point all the same.

True but to be fair, those aren't mammals and are adapted for hibernation in extreme cold.

a reply to: dug88

The problem where mammals are concerned lies in the cell damage which occurs during the process of freezing/reheating.

Then again, Frogs nor Tardigrades are able to use tools nor shape and bend there environment to there will in any kind of meaningful manner the way that us semi-intelligent monkeys do.

Numerous other mammals do indeed hibernate all the same from prairie dogs to bears.

The secret will be in the sauce i imagine.

God knows as to the psychological or physiological long term effects say 1000 or 100,000 years of technological imposed cryogenic hibernation would have on our minds and bodies all the same.

a reply to: dug88

Today's new feed on ATS has been giving me flashbacks of articles I've read long ago that relate to the topics.

Here is one on a current mission scientists are undertaking trying to bring back the Mammoth to restore diversity in the tundra.

Smithsonian

The gist of the idea is that the Mammoths would keep the vegetation at bay, which absorbs some of the sunlight warming the surrounding permafrost.

Bringing mammoth-like creatures back to the tundra could, in theory, help recreate the steppe ecosystem more widely. Because grass absorbs less sunlight than trees, this would cause the ground to absorb less heat and in turn keep the carbon pools and their greenhouse gases on ice for longer. Large numbers of the animals would also trample snow cover, stopping it from acting like insulation for the ground and allowing the permafrost to feel the effects of the bitter Arctic winters. Again, this would, in theory, keep the ground colder for longer.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: dug88

The problem where mammals are concerned lies in the cell damage which occurs during the process of freezing/reheating.

Then again, Frogs nor Tardigrades are able to use tools nor shape and bend there environment to there will in any kind of meaningful manner the way that us semi-intelligent monkeys do.

Numerous other mammals do indeed hibernate all the same from prairie dogs to bears.

The secret will be in the sauce i imagine.

God knows as to the psychological or physiological long term effects say 1000 or 100,000 years of technological imposed cryogenic hibernation would have on our minds and bodies all the same.

Well frogs have a natural anti-freeze in their bodies to prevent cell damage in extreme cold. Tardigrades are microscopic organisms capable of surviving insane conditions.

I'm always careful with comparisons of totally different branches of the phylogenetic tree being compared to humans or other mammals. You can't really, they evolved in totally different ways under totally different conditions. Just because frogs, fish or micro organisms are a certain way or do certain things doesn't mean it is or ever will be applicable to humans or even mammals.

Mammalian hibernation is also totally different to reptiles and frogs and differs even among mammal species. Bats and bears for example have completely different methods of hibernation.

a reply to: dug88

Where Human cryogenics are concerned we will probably need to replace our own blood with some form of synthetic somewhat oxygenated antifreeze or the like if we ever expect anyone to wake up fully functional and/or intact.

Obviously, the way mammals hibernate to say reptiles is different given the difference in species.

Might need to somewhat tamper at the genetic level also to make the technology a viable prospect.

As to comparisons through, we simply work with what we have i suppose.

Insects could be of interest where cryogenics are concerned, they can enter into a hibernation-like state called diapause, a dormant state that allows them to withstand cold temperature extremes.

Flip - imagine it comes out half mammoth and half mouse!

If you go down to the tundra today you're in for a BIG surprise.
Just don't bring cheddar sandwiches, and don't look in its beady eyes.

a reply to: halfoldman

What a horrible thing It would be afraid of it's self lol

a reply to: Gargoyle91

Not even Shakespeare could have foreseen the taming of such a gigantic hairy shrew.

Could they have picked a more exaggerated title for that news article? Frozen cells "come to life"? Really? Try the criteria this guy uses for what can be counted as 'alive'. At 0:40:

Chapter 7 Section (7.4)

I don't know why people get so excited over a Elephant !

I worked with a circus as a young man let me tell you something about elephants .
If you ( or the elephant ) does not Rub - burn or other wise cut the hair on it the elephant will soon look like a HUGH shaggy dog with a long nose .lol
In the wild Elephants Rub off the hair in captivity it is usaly burned off ( yea sounds crul doesn't it ?