Dino Vocabulary
What does the word extinct mean?
An animal or species that no longer exists.
What popular dinosaur movie series is mentioned in the article?
Jurassic Park/Jurassic World.
What do scientists need to clone a dinosaur?
Dinosaur DNA
What is the article mostly about?
Why scientists probably cannot bring back dinosaurs but may be able to bring back mammoth-like animals.
What living animal is closely related to the woolly mammoth?
The Asian elephant.
What is DNA?
Material that carries instructions for how a living thing looks and functions.
How many millions of years have dinosaurs been extinct?
At least 65 million years.
True or False: Amber is good at preserving DNA.
False
Why might bringing back a woolly mammoth be easier than bringing back a dinosaur?
Mammoths lived more recently, so some of their DNA survived.
Name one woolly mammoth trait scientists want to give elephants.
A shaggy coat or the ability to survive cold temperatures.
What does it mean to clone an animal?
To recreate or make a genetic copy of an animal.
What insect was trapped in amber in the Jurassic Park movies?
A mosquito.
What begins to happen to DNA as soon as an animal dies?
It begins to break down or decay.
Why does the author discuss both dinosaurs and woolly mammoths?
To compare the challenges and possibilities of bringing extinct animals back.
What is a mammophant?
A hybrid animal with woolly mammoth traits and Asian elephant DNA.
What does the word decay mean?
To break down or rot over time.
What part of a woolly mammoth did scientists find DNA in?
Its teeth
Why is it so difficult for scientists to find dinosaur DNA?
Dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, so their DNA has most likely decayed completely.
Why might some scientists think bringing back mammoths is a bad idea?
The environment has changed, and mammoths might struggle to survive.
How could bringing back mammoth-like animals help the environment?
They could help restore parts of the Arctic tundra ecosystem.
What does de-extinction mean?
The process of trying to bring an extinct animal back.
What is the name of the proposed nature reserve where scientists hope to protect mammophants?
Pleistocene Park.
Why was woolly mammoth DNA able to survive in Siberia?
The extremely cold, frozen ground helped preserve it.
Based on the article, what can you infer about the author's opinion of creating a real-life Jurassic Park?
The author thinks it is unlikely because dinosaur DNA probably no longer exists.
What is one way scientists could use this technology to help animals that are still alive today?
Help endangered animals become healthier or adapt to climate change.