Many believe our future is in space, where one day humans will live across the solar system.
Armed with the know-how, some scientists want to bring back ancient animals. It begs the question we know all too well from “Jurassic Park”: Should you do something just because you can?
Exploring space has led to technology that now defines our everyday life. What might we learn from the potential success or failure of resurrecting a species?
It’s a delicate balance — and as we’ve also learned, life finds a way.
Back to the future
The goal is to use genetic engineering to create a living elephant-mammoth hybrid that looks just like a woolly mammoth. Proponents of the project believe the beasts could help restore the Arctic tundra ecosystem and preserve the endangered Asian elephant, the woolly mammoth’s closest relative.
This bold plan is fraught with ethical issues. Some scientists question if we know enough to make such an attempt — and the larger point of such an undertaking. But the thought of being up close with a once-extinct creature is a tantalizing one.
We are family
If you ever wondered what our Stone Age ancestors wore, you might think about the draped furs of “The Flintstones.” The actual evidence for when humans began wearing clothes is sparse.
Researchers found bone tools used to process animal skins in a Moroccan cave. Dated between 90,000 and 120,000 years ago, these artifacts could be the earliest proxy evidence for clothing in the archaeological record.
Neanderthals and humans likely had to contend with some frigid temperatures, but the climate along Morocco’s Atlantic coast was mild at the time.
Defying gravity
The team includes a billionaire who self-funded the mission, a cancer survivor, a teacher and a Lockheed Martin employee. The crew will splash down off the coast of Florida on Saturday.
SpaceX hopes this will be the first of many similar tourism missions, creating a future when it’s as common to take a jaunt to space as it is to hop on an airplane.
Going green
There is no quick solution for these problems, but researchers are tackling them in creative ways.
To combat the environmental damage caused by livestock waste, scientists are potty-training cows. Yes, cows.
A long time ago
Ancient finds allow us to understand the diverse creatures that lived long before humans — and sometimes, they allow us a peek inside their behavior.
Discoveries
You won’t believe your eyes:
And don’t forget to keep an eye out for the full harvest moon on Monday evening.