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A "Case Study in Science"
Should Dinosaurs Be "Cloned" From Ancient DNA?
by CM Soja (Department of Geology) & D Huerta (Science Library)
Colgate University
PART I: INTRODUCTION
The year is 2030. You have pursued various careers in science, business, medicine, etc. in the
years since you graduated from Colgate. Because of your knowledge about evolution and the dinosaur
fossil record, you've been asked to participate in a landmark case that will decide if dinosaurs
should be cloned from ancient DNA. Experts, like you with various backgrounds and interests, are
being assembled to aid in the decision-making process. You and your colleagues will be testifying
in trial so that the Judges can decide if these extinct species should be brought back to life.
You don't have long to decide either - new cloning and genetic engineering techniques - are being tested around the world,
and the possibility of de-extinction or resurrecting species doomed to extinction may soon be within
our grasp. Keller Securities has offered to sponsor your participation, so you and other Colgate
alums have been brought together for a debriefing of the situation. Here is what you learn:
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Termites in 30 million-year-old amber and laboratory breakdowns of their DNA patterns
[Smithsonian, 1993, v. 23 (23), p. 29]
used with kind permission of the photographer, Henry Groskinsky
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"Many of you remember from your Colgate evolution class that dinosaurs were the dominant forms of life
on land for more than 100 million years. Dinosaurs lived on all continents from the poles to the tropics.
The evidence shows that dinosaurs were successful, complex animals well adapted to conditions on Earth.
In fact, many scientists believe that the evolutionary potential of mammals was suppressed throughout
the Mesozoic because of the supreme dominance of the dinosaurs. Only during Pangea break-up and after
(most) dinosaurs were extinct did mammals undergo an evolutionary radiation in the wake of the K/T mass
extinction.
It has been decades since the asteroid hypothesis was first proposed by Walter Alvarez and others to
explain the sudden demise of dinos 66 million years ago. Scientists have continued to accumulate
incontrovertible evidence that dino extinction was caused by an impacting asteroid in combination
with climate change. Substantiation of this theory indicates that dinosaurs became extinct NOT
because of "bad genes" or a lack of adaptability to natural changes taking place on Earth. Rather
all non-avian dinosaurs died out - along with 75% of all Earth's species - because of random bad
luck caused by a horrifying set of compounding circumstances.
With recent advances in molecular biology, we now have at our disposal the technology that will enable
us to reverse the dinos' unfortunate fate. Sources of dino DNA have been identified at several (secret)
sites around the world. Available technology will enable us to extract the fossilized dino DNA, purify
it, amplify it, and replicate it before implanting that DNA into donor eggs from closely related species.
New technologies even enable us to "tweak" a bird's genome to finagle a dinosaur. Clearly, here is our
chance to undo the after-effects of the asteroid and return to Earth closely managed members of the
dominant Mesozoic life.
Since the evolution of Homo sapiens in the past half million years, we have been accused of propagating
a new mass extinction. Many scientists now believe that the "Sixth Extinction" began in the
Pleistocene 50,000 years ago when humans - as hunters or disease vectors - began a worldwide
decimation of megafauna (e.g., large-bodied mammals). Scientists from every continent have expressed
their growing concerns that this mass extinction event continues to accelerate today, rivaling the
Mesozoic mass extinction in scope and intensity. With new cloning and genetic engineering techniques, we now have within our
grasp the opportunity to reverse the deadly decline of global biodiversity and reinstate to Earth
critical members of global ecosystems that existed here only a short time ago, geologically speaking.
The court's decision will determine the ultimate fate of the dinosaurs. Should they be doomed to
extinction forever or brought back to the Earth they should have inherited? You will have several
days to evaluate the situation and prepare a report that will enable the Judges to reach a final decision.
The latest information about scientific research has been made available to you, including some
discussion about human cloning. But remember, this is a case about whether dinosaurs, not humans, should
be cloned (or genetically engineered). Thank you for your participation in an historic case that will have global implications."
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PART II: ROLE ASSIGNMENTS
You have several days before you and your colleagues must decide the fate of the dinosaurs
before a world audience anxious to know your decision. Before reaching any conclusions,
however, you need to understand more about the science of cloning; genetic engineering of
ancient DNA; how to develop a dinosaur embryo and successfully raise it to adulthood; animal
husbandry issues related to supporting a living, adult dinosaur under post-Mesozoic
conditions; safety issues; ethical concerns, etc.
To facilitate court proceedings, each of you will serve either as a Judge or represent a
particular specialty on one of two teams: one team will argue the case in support of dinosaur
cloning and the other will present arguments against dino cloning. Each team (either
for or against cloning) will comprise five specialist types (investor, paleontologist, etc.)
who will present testimony to the Judges. Each specialist type will be represented by several
people — please be familiar with all specialty groups to avoid duplication of information
presented at the trial!
High Court Judges (4)
responsible for making final decision after hearing from two teams of specialists
Two Teams--
One For and the Other Against Dinosaur Cloning
each team comprises five specialist types (~15 people total) who provide the
Judges with expert testimony as:
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Specialists (3-4 per team)
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Investors
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Paleontologists
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Geneticists
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V.E.T.A.
Veterinarians for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
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Civilians
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PART III: TRIAL PREPARATION
Individual Specialist and Team Responsibilities
For the trial, each member of each specialist group
prepares (individually) a one-page (max!), double-spaced, typed
report that is exceptionally well written, representing your position using your own words and phrases,
crafting two questions for the opposing side, and citing all references that you used (citation of references applies to ALL specialities,
including Civilians and Judges). It is ok to confer with your partners and teammates (not the
Judges), but you must do your write-up on your own. Notice that under Grading
Assessment, points will be awarded to those who show special creativity and develop exceptionally
worthy or original ideas based on research that either builds on or goes beyond the information provided
in each specialist page.
Those written reports become the basis for oral testimony given at trial. In addition to your
written report, be prepared with your partners to present your case (3-4 minutes max! per specialist
group) to the Esteemed Judges using whatever creative, innovative, educational, and worthy
means you decide - but keep in mind that each team will have no more than 20-25 minutes to present its
entire case (in other words, each person prepares one minute of oral testimony
to the Judges). Also please note each specialty group will be responsible for answering one-two short questions
from the Esteemed Judges, answering one-two short questions from the opposing specialty group, and
posing one-two short questions to the opposing specialty group. Thus specialist partners should coordinate and
brainstorm in advance about questions they would like to pose (and possibly be given a chance to answer) during
the trial.
Please be prepared to
start the debate on time so that we can accommodate everyone who will be giving testimony and can
allow the Judges enough time to ask questions and reach a majority decision before court is adjourned.
Also please note: specialists who read directly from a prepared text will not
receive full points for their oral deposition to the Judges. Practice (out loud!) in advance so that
you are very familiar with what you plan to say and thus at your most convincing when in front of
the Judges!
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Because of the number of specialists that will be giving a one minute (max!)
testimonial, Power Pt. or other computer-based presentations are NOT permitted.
However, specialists ARE strongly encouraged to dress appropriately for their roles;
teams can bring placards or posters with supporting graphics, etc. or engage in
other educationally worthy activities to generate a creative atmosphere to the
proceedings.
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Judges' Responsibilities
The Judges should approach their roles as highly educated, ultra objective, scrupulous decision-makers.
For the trial date, each Judge should prepare (individually) a one-page (max!),
double-spaced, typed statement (as above) that is exceptionally well written, indicating his/her specialty
perspective (i.e., judicial expert on genetics, etc.) -- and clearly indicating that s/he is open to convincing
arguments on either side -- before hearing the depositions in class. It is ok to confer with
your fellow Judges, but you must do your write-up on your own using your own words and phrases
and citing any references that you used. Notice that under Grading Assessment, points will be
awarded to those who show special creativity and develop exceptionally worthy or original ideas based on
research that either builds on or goes beyond the information provided in each specialist page.
Judges, of course, should not engage in conversations with members of either team before testimony is given.
Before the court session, Judges should designate one person as "Chief Judge" (and a backup Chief Judge)
and should have
predetermined how to call upon the specialists in an orderly, organized, and fair fashion, allowing each
team no more than 20-25 minutes to plead its case. The Chief Judge needs to ensure that: 1.
All Judges are prepared to begin court by each giving an oral, 30-second self-introduction (about
post-Colgate careers and professional specialties); 2. Judges are prepared to pose one-two questions to each specialist group (divide
up this responsibility appropriately); and 3. members of each specialist group have the opportunity
to question each other after each specialist group has given its testimony. Judges will have a chance to
confer with each other briefly after hearing all of the depositions and so will have the opportunity to
decide their final positions in response to particularly persuasive testimony or argument. By the end of trial,
the Judges will announce a majority opinion about whether to allow dinosaur cloning or genetic engineering to proceed. Please be prepared
to start trial on time so that we can accommodate everyone who will be giving testimony and can allow the
Judges enough time to ask questions and reach a decision before court is adjourned. Also please
note: Judges who read directly from a prepared text will not receive full points
for the questions they pose to specialists. Practice (out loud!) in advance so that you are at your most
convincing when questioning those giving depositions!
Grading Assessment
Your participation in this exercise will be worth 50 points total. My assessment of your work
will be as follows: up to 5 pts. for the presentation given by your group of specialists (or Judges)
with an additional 3 pts. (max.) awarded for creativity; up to 5 pts. for your individual presentation
with an additional 2 pts. (max.) awarded for creativity; up to 35 pts. for your written report.
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Please note that the three classes designated Cloning I, II and III are very important because roles
will be assigned and class will be devoted to collecting data and working with teammates.
Your full participation is expected. Absences because of serious illness or a family
emergency will be excused if I receive notification before class; points will
be deducted for any unexcused absences. As you can well anticipate, Judges and specialist
teams will be depending on all members to contribute to the success of the trial.
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Your written report should follow the directions in the "responsibilities"
and "specific guidelines" sections above and will be graded on both its scientific/educational content and presentation. Good
grammar and correct spelling as well as careful proofreading of a polished text will
definitely count in your favor! Points will be awarded to those who show special creativity and
develop exceptionally worthy or original ideas based on research that either builds on or goes beyond
the information provided in each specialist page. Please click here for a pdf of project guidelines.
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***Specialists should make sure that their group presentation is coordinated
so that members representing the same specialty (on the same team)
do not
duplicate information being presented to the Judges. Avoid duplicating information
that other specialist groups will present!***
Late assignments will not be accepted. Please note in particular
that last-minute problems with computer disks, printers, internet access, etc., will
be inexcusable reasons for not having your written assignment completed on time.
Please plan ahead to avoid last-minute headaches!
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PART IV: PROCEEDINGS SCHEDULE
Today, you'll begin working with your partners using computers and the web exercise so that you can
confer about the discussion questions posed in Part II of the exercise. Judges and specialists should
follow the directions in this web exercise, looking specifically at the page that refers to their specialty
in Part II. These pages will give starter ideas for an approach to take and clues about how a person with
that specialty might think. Be sure to check Parts I and II, discussion questions, web links, and
the cloning e-folder. Also there are helpful resources in the science library and Moodle, including journal
articles, books, etc. as well as lots of opinion and news pieces on the internet. Your textbooks will be
helpful, too. Please return to class at 3:40 pm today for a Q & A session.
Next class, you'll see a video on dinosaurs that will give interesting background
information on the topic you're debating and relate very well both to the discussion
questions and to the upcoming court session. There will be an additional 15-20 minutes to meet
with your specialist group to discuss the video and fine-tune your group's strategy for Trial.
After that, we'll have a week or so of regular class meetings with time to clarify any remaining
questions before we go to trial. On the trial date, we'll hold court and await the Judges'
final decision!
Plus be sure to check Moodle for the latest, breaking-news articles
on cloning and "de-extinction" (i.e., more recent than those listed in
"Leads and Sources" in the cloning exercise website)
⇒ + required short YouTube video on "de-extinction"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-0mT4oQH3o
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Go To:
Should Dinosaurs Be Cloned... Part II
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