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FACT VS FICTION

Cloning probably sounds familiar for most people, probably because it sometimes plays a pivotal plot point in certain TV shows or games. We all know the classic standoff between a real person and an imposter who look exactly alike. You would be surprised how much this trope actually gets used in series. But how did cloning even come into existence? Was it a fictional idea first, or based on science? Here, we will take a closer look to cloning in one of the most famous movies ever: Jurassic Park, and see how it holds up to the real world.

The material

Let’s look into further details at the cloning examples made in the movie Jurassic Park. In the movie, the process to create functioning dinosaur DNA revolved around acquiring genetic material from three sources. First, fossils were discovered, and the material was taken from these bones to attempt to clone a dinosaur. Fossils were not enough, however, so another vital source was needed. DNA was extracted from mosquitos that sucked blood from dinosaurs. The mosquitoes were trapped in amber and therefore well preserved.

This DNA was then extracted from the dinosaur blood that was present in the mosquitos, which would be enough to serve in combination with the fossil material as the blueprint for recreating a dinosaur. Lastly, some crucial genes were missing, so many empty gene slots were replaced by genes of modern-day animals, to create a complete DNA sequence. The replacement by certain genes also explains specific properties shown by for example the Indominus Rex in Jurassic world, which had genes from cephalopods, frogs and other animals. The first step to clone the DNA is to place these nuclei of Dino DNA in an unfertilized ostrich or emu egg cell. The actual eggs would then be incubated and would eventually hatch, after which you would be the proud owner of a dinosaur. According to the movie, 1 out of every 1000 eggs would successfully hatch.

Origin of cloning

Technically, you can argue that cloning has existed for millennia, namely in the asexual reproduction of certain plants and vegetables, but also other organisms. This is the most boring story though. In the context of cloning, usually, the process of the exact replication of an organism is meant. One of the most famous fictional examples is Jurassic Park, where cloning was achieved by inserting dinosaur chromosomes in an egg cell of a non-extinct species. Other approaches depend on which show you are watching. In reality, the first and most famous actual cloning procedure was Dolly the sheep. Dolly (named after the singer Dolly Parton), was formed from utter cells that were inserted in a sheep ovum, which was only successful acter 434 tries. What was revolutionary about this process, was that Dolly was cloned from a specific set of cells (the utter cells) and was redesigned to grow into other subsets of cells. This showed that cells could be formed to any cell, could be formed to any other cell, limited by the genetic material inside the cells.

Fact vs Fiction

Now how would this work out in practice? First of all, let’s talk about the mosquitos that were preserved in amber. These insects play a vital role in acquiring DNA. Unfortunately, DNA decays as time passes on. Even though the mosquitoes were supposed to be preserved, in reality, this would not actually happen to the genetic material at all. With the time that has passed since the era of the dinosaurs, it will be impossible for DNA to have been preserved this long.

Secondly, in the movie DNA of dinosaurs were combined with egg cells of existing animals. In practice it is already difficult to have the DNA and egg cells of the same species match, let alone a different genus, order or family. In reality, it has been possible with certain animals that are not identical but closely related, like a cow and a yak. Where the process mostly fails is at the stage where the early form of the embryo fails to adhere to the uterus wall. To assume that dinosaur DNA would mix well with species that have been evolved further for millions of years is very optimistic.

Conclusion

So, unfortunately, it seems that having your own pet triceratops will probably not happen any time soon. There is a reason why certain things stay fictional. But the entertainment provided and the concepts to think about by shows and movies are already sufficient, even though certain concepts are not as scientifically just as they might be presented. Certain things you just have to take with a grain of salt. If we would think rationally about certain things and step away from creative freedom, we would not be able to enjoy Godzilla vs Space Godzilla. Who doesn’t want to see Godzilla fight a space clone of himself? In all seriousness, cloning could be useful if the procedure gets perfected more in the future, for example, to grow organs for people that need them. Obviously, when cloning gets to a level where it would become an easy and accessible process, you need to start to wonder if it is worth it and if it is really ethical what you are doing. As an endnote, I would like to give you some advice, provided by Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park.

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” - Dr. Ian Malcolm