User blog:BastionMonk/We CAN create dinosaurs

"Few researchers have given credence to claims that samples of dinosaur DNA have survived to the present day, but no one knew just how long it would take for genetic material to fall apart. Now, a study of fossils found in New Zealand is laying the matter to rest — and putting an end to hopes of cloning a Tyrannosaurus rex." (source 1)

Allentoft et al. have discovered that DNA in bones can only last for 6.8 million years (source 2). Which "is nowhere near the age of a dinosaur bone — which would be at least 65 million years old" (source 1).

Many Jurassic Park fans became really disappointed when they heard this. But that isn't needed! Let me explain why this research doesn't prove we can't recreate dinosiaurs.

These people say that there can't be any DNA in dinosaur bones... DUH! Scientists and Michael Crichton have assumed for a long time that there is no DNA left in dinosaur bones. Scientists DeSalle and Lindley claimed in their book How To Build A Dinosaur that dino bones only contain minerals; no tissue, no proteins, no DNA. The take home message of Allentoft et al. is that DNA is too unstable to last long in bones.

BUT Jack Horner has proved there ARE proteins and soft tissue in dinosaur bones. The article Proteins in fossils lists all dino protein sequences that have been discovered yet. From the protein code the DNA code can be deduced. Let me show you:

This is a piece of Tyrannosaurus rex protein code (the letters stand for certain groups of s):


 * gatgapgiagapgfpgargapgpqgpsgapgpk

Source 1: Nature News, 10 October 2012, DNA has a 521-year half-life Genetic material can't be recovered from dinosaurs — but it lasts longer than thought.

Source 2: Allentoft, M. E. et al. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, link (2012).