Simulated Evolution

As a paleontologist my research has supported the idea that the primary cause of dinosaur extinction had been the massive impact of at least 10 km diameter asteroid in the Yucatan Peninsula, creating the Chicxulup crater at ca. 65 million years ago. The impact triggered large-scale environmental devastation, including prolonged “impact winter”, severely affecting the vegetation life that subsequently demolished the entire food chain for the dinosaurs, leading to their extinction. In one of my visits to the crater my biotechnologist friend, Fred, who worked on isolation and study of ancient DNA, accompanied me. From there, he collected a few shattered rock samples for his research. Six months later, when I almost forgot about Fred’s ambitious research project, he told me he was successful in isolating some DNA strains that appeared to him to register very old genetic signatures. I encouraged him to try and transform the genes into living cells. After a number of failed attempts, he could ultimately succeed in doing so. Soon the cells multiplied and in a miraculous manner the eon-old evolutionary process was repeated in the laboratory to develop into a multi-cellular organism. Fred got scared. He wanted to destroy the organism and terminate his research, but I persuaded him to let the living cells grow into their full form in an isolated and confined space. Months passed and we were surprised to see the organism gradually took the form of living entity of an infant dinosaur that I identified as Tyronnosaurus rex. Fred and I were frightened. Fred no longer enjoyed the credit of his successful research with ancient DNA, and in utter fear wanted again to destroy the outcome, but I could convince him to hand over the creature to the local zoo where as a grown up animal it would create immense curiosity for the public and great interest for the scientific community, and above all, prevent the Jurassic Park to come alive in a dystopian world.