3 ms·

Dinosaurs are gone, all that remains is their bone structures. No complete genomes are recoverable, just maybe a few fragments. However if you want dinosaur-l

Dinosaurs are gone, all that remains is their bone structures. No complete genomes are recoverable, just maybe a few fragments. However if you want dinosaur-like creatures, you're basically talking giant flightless birds. So, start with something like an ostritch or a rhea, and use CRISPR to make selective edits aimed at increasing leg size and bone density. This would require a comprehensive understanding of development in these species, of course, and that's probably not there yet. You'd also want to create a fairly diverse source population so the new species wouldn't suffer from inbreeding issues. Once you got the leg strength and body mass up, it's time to go for big sharp teeth. Increase spine strength and musculature, and then reactive that talpid2 gene with modifications that allow the embryos to survive to adulthood: https://www.science.org/content/article/mutant-chickens-grow-teeth https://www.science.org/content/article/mutant-chickens-grow... Now, would this giant mutant toothed ostrich be a dinosaur? For all intents and purposes, yes. Would doing this be a good idea, would you want these things running around suburban neighborhoods devouring stray cats and terrorizing the local human population? Maybe not.

Archelaos 4y ago
Complete layman here. -- What about trying to reconstruct a likely common ancestor of reptiles and birds on the DNA level and combining this with the Parent's approach?
- jameshart 4y ago
  The ‘common ancestor of reptiles and birds’ is way older than dinosaurs. And it’s also the common ancestor of all mammals. You could get the common ancestor of birds, dinosaurs, and a living reptile if you just go to the common ancestor of, say, a chicken and a crocodile. That’s also the ancestor of pterosaurs as well as dinosaurs though.
thaumasiotes 4y ago
> if you want dinosaur-like creatures, you're basically talking giant flightless birds. That would only cover theropods. There are a lot of other dinosaurs.

Archelaos 4y ago

Complete layman here. -- What about trying to reconstruct a likely common ancestor of reptiles and birds on the DNA level and combining this with the Parent's approach?

jameshart 4y ago
The ‘common ancestor of reptiles and birds’ is way older than dinosaurs. And it’s also the common ancestor of all mammals. You could get the common ancestor of birds, dinosaurs, and a living reptile if you just go to the common ancestor of, say, a chicken and a crocodile. That’s also the ancestor of pterosaurs as well as dinosaurs though.

thaumasiotes 4y ago

> if you want dinosaur-like creatures, you're basically talking giant flightless birds. That would only cover theropods. There are a lot of other dinosaurs.