The procedure to resurrect non-avian dinosaurs, according to JP and TLW:

I. Find a blood-sucking insect in amber
II. Extract the blood
III. Sequence the DNA of the blood
IV. Fill in gaps in sequence with African Clawed Frog DNA
V. Insert DNA into sterilized ostrich eggs and/or artificial eggs
VI. Let eggs hatch
VII. Raise dinosaurs
VIII. Charge admission

How feasible is this?

DNA is a fragile molecule: will break down over time on its own accord

Blood is a complex food: most blood suckers inject digestive enzymes into victim when they eat, so blood is digesting PRIOR to feeding (which is why such bites itch!!).

How would you establish that the blood in the blood sucker was dinosaurian (much less what species)?

DNA is packed with information; closely related taxa have VERY similar DNA sequences:

• Humans and chimps have DNA that is 99.5% identical (closer than horses are to zebras)
• However, the 0.5% difference between chimps and humans makes all the difference between our development!
• Unless you have complete sequence, you aren't making that species
• Filling in the gaps with the DNA of another organism means you aren't making the species you want; you are making a chimeric monster!

Why use frog DNA? (Plot reasons: wanted to include the ability to change sexes and breed in the novel)

In reality, bird DNA would be closest to those of other dinosaurs, then crocodilians, then lepidosaurs, then turtles, then mammals, and only then amphibians.

Even if you had complete genome and some how cloned the dinosaur, still would be problems:

• They would not have their learned behaviors: these are all lost
• Would not have their own ecosystem
• Would likely be susceptible to modern diseases (never had a chance to evolve resistances)

However, SOME possibility DNA fragments might survive in the fossil record.

If so, may be informative:

• Phylogenetic information
• Physiological or other information (if from genes of known function)

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