Ever since movies like Jurassic Park, questions and thoughts like “Can dinosaurs really be brought back?” or “Can they respawn from their DNA?” have come up.
Sadly, scientists say not yet. DNA, which is the blueprint of life, breaks down over time and even in the best conditions, it only lasts about a million years, while dinosaurs disappeared roughly 66 million years ago. That means every trace of their genetic code has long since turned to dust.
But that hasn’t stopped researchers from trying to get as close as science allows. Paleogeneticists are studying the DNA of modern birds like chickens and ostriches as they’re the closest living relatives of the mighty T. Rex. By tweaking certain genes, scientists can reverse-engineer traits like tails or teeth, creating what some call a “chickenosaurus”.
While it will not be a real dinosaur, these experiments may unlock new secrets about evolution and biology so, it is encouraged. For now, though, the closest we’ll get to a dinosaur resurrection is in a well-made movie.
Science can simply mimic dinosaurs, but it can’t yet resurrect them. Evolution, not cloning, is what holds the key to their comeback.