Hey there! Have you ever heard of a yak? These are super cool animals that live high up in the mountains. Well, guess what? Chinese scientists have done something amazing—they’ve successfully cloned a yak for the first time! 🐮🎉
On Thursday, a baby yak was born in the Chinese mainland’s Xizang Autonomous Region (also known as the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau). This isn’t just any baby yak; it’s a cloned one! That means scientists used special technology to create it, kind of like making a copy of another yak.
The baby yak weighed a whopping 33.5 kilograms at birth—that’s heavier than most newborn yaks! With its shiny black coat, it was able to stand up and walk right after it was born. Isn’t that cool?
So, how did the scientists do it? They used something called whole-genome selection and somatic cell cloning technologies. That might sound complicated, but it basically means they took cells from a yak and used them to create a new one.
Why is this important? Well, yaks are super important animals on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. They help local herding communities by providing milk, meat, and even help with farming. Cloning yaks could help improve their breeds and make them healthier and stronger. 💪
Professor Fang Shengguo, who led the research team from Zhejiang University, says that cloning technology will be a big help in building a better future for yaks and the people who depend on them.
Isn’t science incredible? Who knows—maybe someday you’ll be a scientist discovering new things to help the world!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
