Scientists Seek To Turn Chickens Into Mini-Dinosaurs

Harvard scientists are hoping to turn chickens into mini-dinosaurs, according to the Daily Mail.

Scientists at the Ivy League university have 'rewound' evolution with chicken DNA to create embryos with alligator-like snouts instead of beaks.

Chickensaurus huh? 'Rewounding' evolution does not sound like such a good or ethical idea. I know this type of research goes on, and who knows what the result will be. This is different than the frankenmutational or DNA resurrection endeavors though, more of a de-evolving notion it seems.

Although the eggs cannot be hatched due to ethical restrictions, Abzhanov hopes to one day complete the work by turning chickens into Maniraptora(*) - the small dinosaurs which are thought to spawned thousands of species of birds which exist today

Source
"Cannot be hatched," sure, everyone will abide by those rules and discard their fascination with any strange and wondrous(?) results
On the novelty level, I am sure mini dinosaurs would be a hit in the pet world, until the gator mouthed chickens bite you in the face!

spec

Although the eggs cannot be hatched due to ethical restrictions


You have got to be kidding me.....



Yeah, there is no way, anyone would do it.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist



And from this are we going to have mini dino burgers? Could this turn out like Jurassic Park, only much, much smaller? Either way, scientists need something better to do at Harvard, like figure out Solor, Wind, Water, energy and get us off of oil already!

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


It appears that through science and evolution, we actually are getting quite close to that holy grail: the crocoduck.

Awesome thread btw; that is an amazing find.

Must be a Univeristy restriction or a self imposed one.

I don't think it would be unethical.

I want a minidino! and maybe this will lead them on to make winged lizards and horses with narwhale horns!! Omai with this tec I can make a freaking fairytale garden!! Go biotec!!!!!

Oh brother. I believe they used amphibian material in the movie, and it didn't end well for anyone. Does anyone here really believe they won't take this to the next step? Imagine the temptation of an egg sitting there, holding life that hasn't been seen before. Oh, someone will go the next step, if only out of curiosity.

The only way to avoid this is never to start. they need to Stop playing God. He might get offended someday and decide it's HIS turn to play.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist

"Cannot be hatched," sure, everyone will abide by those rules and discard their fascination with any strange and wondrous(?) results

Am I the only person who wants to see what these things will look like? I say, hatch away!

reply to post by boncho


Ikr!! I wanna buy one for a pet!

Wonder if it will taste like chicken.....

Des

Yesss Jurassic park. Haha.

reply to post by boncho

Am I the only person who wants to see what these things will look like? I say, hatch away!

No, I'm kinda there with ya in curiosity, and in a speculative fashion, I would be curious about bringing back prominent/influential figures in history too, by reassembling their DNA. Jesus, Mark Twain Da Vinchi, Tesla etc...

And if Nature does not approve what is NEXT FOR THE FATHERS OF THESE CREATIONS?

I watched a documentary that featured this a while ago. I think it was called something like "The real life Jurassic Park"

They showed the different embryos where they had genetically modified the tails to grow longer and I think they were working on modifying them so they had teeth

Originally posted by Destinyone
Wonder if it will taste like chicken.....

Des

Omg can you imagine if it tasted like alligator AND chicken?? THAT WOULD BE DELICOUS!!!

and to people who are like "What is next" I want a cow-pig.... bacon and steak!!

Originally posted by Griffo
I watched a documentary that featured this a while ago. I think it was called something like "The real life Jurassic Park"

They showed the different embryos where they had genetically modified the tails to grow longer and I think they were working on modifying them so they had teeth

Yeah I recall this.. the "modification" is really just enabling and disabling DNA sequences.. the information is there, but evolution has turned things off along the way.. the scientists are basically turning on dormant programming..

Originally posted by spw184

Originally posted by Destinyone
Wonder if it will taste like chicken.....

Des

Omg can you imagine if it tasted like alligator AND chicken?? THAT WOULD BE DELICOUS!!!

and to people who are like "What is next" I want a cow-pig.... bacon and steak!!

MANBEARPIG! ... bring it on

reply to post by boncho


What if they mess it up like they usually do at first.

Start the vid at about 5:50 . You'll see what I mean.



Then again just think of this in terms of world hunger.
Silly scientists.

You know what would suck? If these new minidinos were asexual and could reproduce with themselfs.... it would be like some b rate sci-fi movie.... "Attack of the Minidinosaurchickens"

If I recall correctly the DNA they had recovered was that of a T-Rex.... and if everything went the way it should, it would end up being somewhere around 5-6 ft tall.... I don't know about you guys, I would love to see one, but defnitely wouldnt want to be stuck in a room with one.