Is there such a thing as a chickenosaurus?

(Image credit: Karl Tate, LiveScience.com Contributor) Talk of a “chickenosaurus” lit up the science world last week when researchers announced they had modified the beak of a chicken embryo to resemble the snout of its dinosaur ancestors.

Could a chickenosaurus be the next Jurassic World villain?

Instead, a chickenosaurus would be closer to Jurassic World’s fictional villain Indominus rex, a hybrid of various genes from dinosaurs and other creatures, or even elephants genetically modified to look like mammoths. It wouldn’t be a moment of resurrection, but reinvention.

What is the Chickenosaurus project?

Bird embyros start with long tails, but they become smaller as the chick develops. The Chickenosaurus project hopes to reverse this. The idea has already begun it’s first steps.

What would it take to turn a chicken into a dinosaur?

There are four major modifications needed to make a so-called chickenosaurus, Horner said. To turn a chicken into a dinosaurlike beast, scientists would have to give it teeth and a long tail, and revert its wings back into arms and hands.

What was the biggest challenge in making the Chickenosaurus?

To date, the biggest challenge in making the chickenosaurus has been the tail. Modern birds don’t have a tail beneath their feathers. Instead, they have a complicated appendage called a pygostyle, with short, fused vertebrae and connected muscles that allow them to control and fan out their tail feathers.

Could designing a chickenosaurus lead to new treatments for Spinal Disorders?

Horner and Harris agree that the research involved in designing a chickenosaurus could pay scientific and medical dividends. Research into factors that influence embryonic tail growth could lead to new treatments for spinal disorders.

Why can’t we turn a chicken into a dinosaur?

Since birds are the only surviving members of the family tree of the dinosaurs, why can’t we flip some switches in the genetic code and return a chicken back to its former glory as a dinosaur? (Image credit: Karl Tate, LiveScience.com Contributor)