De-evolution

CrimsonChaos

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Mar 28, 2005
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So I just watched a series on the Discovery channel (yeah, it may have been an old show, I don't know).

But basically they were saying that birds and dinosaurs have a lot of the same genes, so-much-so that they were able to alter bits of DNA so that birds would grow tails, teeth, and even scales (at least in embryonic states).

They said it would be possible someday to alter just the right genes that it would de-evolutionize a newborn bird to the point that it would actually develop into a dinosaur. One of the people said the bird they would use is the Emu.

So do you think this is really possible? If so, SHOULD they do it?
 

Saint Michael

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Aug 4, 2007
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Originally posted by: CrimsonChaos
So I just watched a series on the Discovery channel (yeah, it may have been an old show, I don't know).

But basically they were saying that birds and dinosaurs have a lot of the same genes, so-much-so that they were able to alter bits of DNA so that birds would grow tails, teeth, and even scales (at least in embryonic states).

They said it would be possible someday to alter just the right genes that it would de-evolutionize a newborn bird to the point that it would actually develop into a dinosaur. One of the people said the bird they would use is the Emu.

So do you think this is really possible? If so, SHOULD they do it?

Should they do it? They're fucking birds, have a ball.
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
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Evolution is evolution. There is no such thing as "de-evolution." That isn't to say that the claims about producing dinosaurian traits in avian embryos are false, but simply that it is still evolution. Moreover, it is powerful evidence that the theory is an accurate model of reality -- not that it was lacking such evidence at this point.

 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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It'd depend on how much of the original "code" is still intact in bird DNA.

Should they do it? Don't know. You could always create dinosaurs, but then do what with them? If they get lose in an ecosystem that can sustain them, or at least feed them for awhile, then hunting season will have to be opened to get them back under control.

It would be interesting though to see how they grow and behave in a given environment, such as an isolated island, Jurassic Park style. Then you also hope that they can't swim over long distances. ;)
Obviously it would not be a theme park, but a place reserved exclusively for scientific study.

Then the other problems: Security and greed. Dinosaur eggs would probably sell for an incredible amount of money, to the point of easily bending the judgment of anyone employed in the facility.


 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: CrimsonChaos
If so, SHOULD they do it?

Don't you read Michael Crichton books? Of course they should do it!! I'd love to see a T-Rex rampaging through California.

 

CrimsonChaos

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Mar 28, 2005
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When I say "should" they, I am not talking about freedom of choice or "awwwe the poor birds". I'm more refering to what Jeff7 was talking about. Should we tamper with nature and create new forms of life which could potentially impact the natural balance of things? Not in the "let's save the world, hug a tree" sense -- but introducing a new genetically engineered animal into the world could have serious ramifications if it isn't done with appropriate precautions.

And I do think of it as "de-evolution". If what they are claiming is true, the dinosaurs evolved into the bird. To alter the DNA to cause the bird to become what it once was (a dinosaur), that is reversing the evolutionary process -- de-evolution, or simply "devolving".
 

Iron Woode

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Originally posted by: videogames101
Originally posted by: BradAtWork
Dinosaurs couldn't live on the earth today. They wouldn't be able to breath.

wanna expand on that? lol
I think I know what he is getting at, but he is off by a few epochs.
 

ICRS

Banned
Apr 20, 2008
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They should make this dino
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...ommons/f/f3/Amnh30.jpg


Also doesn't this thing look so much like a bird. It has asymetrical flight feathers like a bird, it is front wings like a bird (I know birds don't have rear wings). But really seeing dinos like makes it seem clear that birds evolved from them. Computer models show it could FLY like a bird. But it was a dino.

Also would be cool to see one of these things flying again.
 

pstylesss

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Mar 21, 2007
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I watched a documentary on that also. The series was called Jurassic Park... didn't turn out well for most of the people. They used frogs and not birds, maybe that's where it went wrong.
 

Ruptga

Lifer
Aug 3, 2006
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Originally posted by: videogames101
Originally posted by: BradAtWork
Dinosaurs couldn't live on the earth today. They wouldn't be able to breath.

wanna expand on that? lol

From the wiki

"As more plants appeared, the levels of oxygen increased significantly, while carbon dioxide levels dropped. At first the oxygen combined with various elements (such as iron), but eventually oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, resulting in mass extinctions and further evolution. With the appearance of an ozone layer (ozone is an allotrope of oxygen) lifeforms were better protected from ultraviolet radiation. This oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere is the "third atmosphere". 200 ? 250 million years ago, up to 35% of the atmosphere was oxygen (as found in bubbles of ancient atmosphere were found in an amber)."

So logically, dinosaurs would be used to an atmosphere with at least 30% oxygen, and most would be royally screwed when trying to breathe an atmosphere with about 20% oxygen.
 

BradAtWork

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Sep 5, 2005
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Originally posted by: videogames101
Originally posted by: BradAtWork
Dinosaurs couldn't live on the earth today. They wouldn't be able to breath.

wanna expand on that? lol

They didn't have a diafram. The oxygen level was high enough that they didn't need to breath in and out to get enough.
 

ICRS

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Originally posted by: ADDAvenger
Originally posted by: videogames101
Originally posted by: BradAtWork
Dinosaurs couldn't live on the earth today. They wouldn't be able to breath.

wanna expand on that? lol

From the wiki

"As more plants appeared, the levels of oxygen increased significantly, while carbon dioxide levels dropped. At first the oxygen combined with various elements (such as iron), but eventually oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, resulting in mass extinctions and further evolution. With the appearance of an ozone layer (ozone is an allotrope of oxygen) lifeforms were better protected from ultraviolet radiation. This oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere is the "third atmosphere". 200 ? 250 million years ago, up to 35% of the atmosphere was oxygen (as found in bubbles of ancient atmosphere were found in an amber)."

So logically, dinosaurs would be used to an atmosphere with at least 30% oxygen, and most would be royally screwed when trying to breathe an atmosphere with about 20% oxygen.


Do some research. The 35% was for the late Permian period, at the P-T extinction event Oxyen levels plumeted, and during the Triassic and the time of the earliest dinoaurs oxygen levels were close to only 10% and didn't reach levels seen today until after the KT extinction event. Further more fossile records show dinosaurs likey had a more evolved respitory system than mammals and could extract oxygen from the air a rate far exceeding mammals.
 

CrimsonChaos

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Mar 28, 2005
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Ok, can we go on the assumption that they'd be able to genetically engineer these dinosaurs to be able to survive on the planet today? If so, do you think it's a good idea that we do this? What if it falls into the wrong hands, and somenoe creates a host of these things?

Originally posted by: Shadow Conception
Would it be edible?

Sure, and it tastes like chicken!

Originally posted by: sandorski
Whip it!

Great oldie, but what does this song have to do with this thread?

 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,424
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Hell yeah they should do it. They could engineer miniature dinosaurs and make a mint. That would be a bigger fad than the pet rock. I always wanted a miniature T-rex when I was a kid.