Learn about the fascinating history of mammoth ivory, its origins, and why it is considered a prized material in the world of craftsmanship and art.
Mammoths were large herbivorous mammals, closely related to modern-day Indian elephants. The mammoth became extinct over 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. It is believed that mammoths used their long, curved tusks for clearing away ice and snow to reveal the vegetation underneath. These large tusks, measuring up to 10 ½ feet in length, are still being found in the arctic regions of Alaska, Canada and Siberia, preserved in the “Perma-frost” (permanently frozen ground). In rare instances an entire preserved mammoth has been found.
Natives living in these remote arctic regions have used the ivory of these preserved tusks for making buttons, knife handles, stakes for securing their shelters against the harsh conditions, and even as running blades for their sleds.
Mammoth ivory varies in color from a creamy white to dark brown depending on the minerals the ivory has been exposed to over the centuries. Like modern elephant ivory, mammoth ivory has a distinct cross-hatch pattern and a visible wood-like grain. Unlike modern elephant ivory, ancient mammoth ivory can be used to make beautiful pieces of jewelry and carving that we can enjoy without the worry of endangering a living species.
The idea of resurrecting the woolly mammoth.
The woolly mammoth, extinct for thousands of years, could be brought back to life in as little as four years thanks to a breakthrough in cloning technology.
The idea of resurrecting the woolly mammoth is a hypothetical that involves using DNA from frozen mammoth remains to create a hybrid animal that looks and behaves like a woolly mammoth:
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GoalThe goal is to create a "mammophant" that would be visually indistinguishable from a woolly mammoth.
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MethodThe plan is to use CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing tool, to splice DNA from frozen mammoth specimens into the DNA of an Asian elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative.
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BenefitsSome say that reintroducing mammoths could help:
- Reverse climate change
- Restore the Arctic tundra ecosystem
- Preserve the endangered Asian elephant
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ChallengesHowever, there are ethical issues and debates about whether it's the right thing to do:
- The DNA extracted from woolly mammoths is too fragmented and degraded to clone.
- Some people think it's a bad idea because it takes money away from conservation efforts.
The plan gained traction in 2021 when Harvard University geneticist George Church co-founded Colossal Biosciences with entrepreneur Ben Lamm. Colossal is working to bring back the woolly mammoth, and has set a date of late 2028 for the first mammoth.
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