The potential for cloning a dinosaur may still be in the realms of science fiction, but what about reviving a more recently extinct animal?

In the world of ancient DNA, woolly mammoths have become the most intensively studied member of the ice age megafauna – a group of large mammals which
experienced global extinction around 12 000 years ago.

In this talk, Dr Ian Barnes will discuss the nature of this extinction, the contribution that modern molecular genetics has made, and the future potential for recovering the ice age animals.

Ian Barnes began his research career studying archaeology, having failed to understand that
the Indiana Jones films were not documentaries.

Realising this error, he again took career advice from a Steven Spielberg film and moved to working on ancient DNA
.
Over the last 15 years, he has been involved with many of the key ancient DNA studies of the ice age megafauna, including giant deer, sabre-tooth cats, short-faced bears and woolly mammoths. He is now a molecular palaeobiologist at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Following the talk, join us for a free glass of wine in a private view of the Museum.