The Dire Wolf has been Recreated

[Dr. Cheese]

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I think there is some misinformation here because I know recent studies showed that the Dire Wolf is not genetically related to the Grey Wolf and that they look similar because of convergent evolution. The other thing that is funny is scientists being surprised by their heavy fur. Duh! They lived during the Ice Age!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

 

[Winslow]

I saw this mentioned over at Ars Technica. John Timmer's summary at the end of the article does a good job of putting things into perspective:
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While this is being portrayed as the return of the dire wolf, these animals are primarily a variant of gray wolves, as many of the genetic changes that create their large size and pale coat already exist in some gray wolf populations. They carry only a few changes that are specific to dire wolves. (This is very much like what the company announced with woolly mice.)

And, more significantly, they're likely to be instinctually like a gray wolf, and so would play the same role in present-day ecosystems. In fact, it has been hypothesized that the dire wolf went extinct during the late Pleistocene extinctions because it specialized in hunting large prey that also went extinct. So, it's unclear whether, even if we could bring the dire wolf back, there'd be anything for it to do.
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Media hype and novelty notwithstanding, I'm still rather dubious about this kind of thing being done for its own sake. There are useful applications for genetic research, of course, but claims of "bringing back" extinct species, and the fuzzy hand-waving about the details, just comes off like a stunt using animals as props (or more accurately, a product). See also: Recent discussions about bringing back the woolly mammoth.

Nobody seems to be asking "Do we need to do this?" never mind, "Is this going to be good for the animals that will be involved and/or produced?"

Humans have learned a lot about the uses of technology, but as always, the ethical application of it is really low on the list - assuming it's on the list at all.

 

[Old Blastard]

Create large, wild predators and lock them in small spaces so you can research them and poke and prod them....all we need is some activists to set them free.

 

[Winslow]

...all we need is some activists to set them free.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I’m doing the genetic work-up on the three little pigs to balance things out.

Riis

 

[Winslow]

I'm doing the genetic work-up on the three little pigs to balance things out.

Give 'em a fighting chance, man. Make them DIRE pigs!!

 

[Zooberwerx]

Give 'em a fighting chance, man. Make them DIRE pigs!!

Mine will have contractors’ licenses.

Riis

 

[Winslow]

Mine will have contractors' licenses.

Lotta good that will do. The brick house will take twice as long, and cost four times as much.

Never mind, just make sure the bacon's good.

 

[Winslow]

Also worth noting: Dire "wolves" were dogs:

Dire Wolves Were Not Really Wolves, New Genetic Clues Reveal

The extinct giant canids were a remarkable example of convergent evolution

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[embellisher]

Lotta good that will do. The brick house will take twice as long, and cost four times as much.

Never mind, just make sure the bacon's good.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Lotta good that will do. The brick house will take twice as long, and cost four times as much.

Never mind, just make sure the bacon's good.

Still have to draw permits…and find Mexican pigs to do the actual construction.

Riis

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

please unextinct my grandparents

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

The Dire Wolf collects his dues while the boys sing round the fire

 

[Zooberwerx]

please unextinct my grandparents

Wanna borrow my mummified monkey’s paw?

Riis

 

[Deleted member 394181]

Why?

 

[Mastiff_5]

weight?

 

[Deleted member 341607]

The Dire Wolf collects his dues while the boys sing round the fire

don’t murder me…

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Wanna borrow my mummified monkey's paw?

Riis

has it been through clinical trials

 

[markjazzbassist]

just comes off like a stunt using animals as props

yeah, hearing them say right off the bat why they did this "a value add" i almost barfed. corporate revenue cycle speak relating to living breathing things? no thanks, there is no price to life, it is non-calculable