woolly mammoth

Scientists at a biotech company say they have created a key stem cell for Asian elephants that could help save the endangered species and become a steppingstone for bringing back the woolly mammoth.

The meatball is a one-off and has not been tasted, even by its creators, nor is it planned to be put into production. Instead, it was intended to get people talking about the future of meat.

A group of researchers photograph a woolly mammoth tusk on the banks of the Koyukuk River in Alaska.

A company formed by Harvard genetics professor George Church, known for his pioneering work in genome sequencing and gene splicing, hopes to genetically resurrect woolly mammoths.

An Alaska man and his co-conspirator took a fossilized tusk from a Bureau of Land Management museum. Then, they cut it up and sold off the pieces.

Last year China banned the sale of commercial elephant ivory. But that's led to another illicit trade — in woolly mammoth tusks — that is having a severe impact on Siberia's permafrost.