Chapter 12, Problem 41A

Summary Introduction

To determine:

If it is possible and ethically right to resurrect extinct organisms DNA.

Introduction:

DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid. It acts as genetic material in almost all living beings. It can be circular in nature and linear in nature. DNA is double stranded in nature and carries genetic information from one generation to another.

Explanation of Solution

The remains of extinct species can be found in rock or deep within earth’s crust. From these remains and bones of extinct specie, it is possible to extract its DNA strand. From this DNA strand, scientist can know much about their structure, anatomy, and physiology, and the era in which they were found. In the book Jurassic park, scientists extract DNA of extinct species and try to resurrect those species. This is against ethics and should not be favored. This is because, such species used to live thousands of years back and if they are resurrected now, then they won’t be able to survive in the present environmental conditions. If somehow, these species survived, then the present species, may not be able to share the same environment with them.