Playing God: Scientists attempt to breathe life into extinct animals

'This find, beyond and doubt, is sensational.'

Uyan and Dina, both wonderfully preserved lion cubs from the Ice Age period, will be used in a controversial cloning experiment in South Korea.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Extinct cave lions that roamed Siberia 12,000 years ago are set to make a second appearance in the world.

Last year the cubs were discovered in Siberia in such good condition they were "complete with all their body parts: fur, ears, soft tissue and even whiskers."

Dr. Albert Protopopov, the head of the mammoth fauna studies department of the Yakutian Acadamy of Sciences, reported, "This find, beyond and doubt, is sensational."

He explained the cubs provided the most complete set of remains of cave lions scientists have ever discovered. Their extremely well-preserved bodies and organs are believed to be the result of the cubs dying in a hole during a landslide, which kept them from decaying.

When compared to modern lions, Dr. Protopopov reported Uyan and Dina were probably only one-to-two-weeks-old when they perished. "The eyes were not quite open, they have baby teeth and not all had appeared. We do not know the gender, but we will give them the names in honour of Uyandina river, where they were found, that is Uyan and Dina."

Russian and South Korean scientists at the Joint Foundation of Molecular Paleontology at North East Russia University hope they can find enough surviving DNA to clone the cubs. Uyan will be used to attempt a controversial cloning and Dina will remain in the Mammoth Museum's collection.
According to the Siberian Times, cloning expert Kwang Woo-Suk was disappointed with the samples scientists were able to obtain.

He wanted part of Uyan's skull or leg, but local experts claimed the larger samples should be withheld for future technology and more advanced techniques.

Dr. Protopopov added, "The Koreans are sceptical [sic] and unhappy with the samples. They expected to take more...But it will not work with these little kittens. You have to understand, the lion cub is very small, so it was not possible to take as much as we would like."

Will the creation of Ice Age lions lead us to the creation of other, more ancient, beasts in a move similar to that of Michael Chricton's "Jurassic Park?" Only time will tell.

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