When talking of extinction and endangered species, one of the many species that is inevitably brought up is the African Elephant. With over 20,000 elephants being poached annually, the African Elephant is certainly threatened. But while most understand this, most also fail to understand the impact the loss of the African Elephant would have. This impact can range from the loss of tourism income to collapsed ecosystem, but just as important are the impacts we don't even know about.
In a new study, scientists have uncovered the solution to Peto's paradox, or why elephants and similar mammals have such low rates of cancer. African Elephants have been shown to have 20 copies of the gene TP53, while humans have only 1 copy. This gene does two things important to stop the growth or spread of cancerous cells: it prevents cells from dividing and it coordinates cellular death.
This discovery is important to the treatment of cancer in humans by providing new avenues for gene therapy. In following the example set by the elephants, doctors can investigate the use of TP53 or TP53-mimicking drugs in treating cancer.
More important than elephants and cancer, however, this discovery provides yet another example of why we need to protect the environment against biodiversity loss. If we had not begun conservation efforts with the African Elephant in the latter half of the 20th century, we might have never made this discovery that has the potential to save millions of human lives.
Similarly, the loss of biodiversity in ecosystems ranging from rainforest to tundra to coral reef has the potential to preventing huge leaps in medical technology through the studying of the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems. Thus, when people argue against conservation and environmentalism by saying it costs too much to conserve, the only response necessary is that it costs too much to not conserve.
In a new study, scientists have uncovered the solution to Peto's paradox, or why elephants and similar mammals have such low rates of cancer. African Elephants have been shown to have 20 copies of the gene TP53, while humans have only 1 copy. This gene does two things important to stop the growth or spread of cancerous cells: it prevents cells from dividing and it coordinates cellular death.
This discovery is important to the treatment of cancer in humans by providing new avenues for gene therapy. In following the example set by the elephants, doctors can investigate the use of TP53 or TP53-mimicking drugs in treating cancer.
More important than elephants and cancer, however, this discovery provides yet another example of why we need to protect the environment against biodiversity loss. If we had not begun conservation efforts with the African Elephant in the latter half of the 20th century, we might have never made this discovery that has the potential to save millions of human lives.
Similarly, the loss of biodiversity in ecosystems ranging from rainforest to tundra to coral reef has the potential to preventing huge leaps in medical technology through the studying of the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems. Thus, when people argue against conservation and environmentalism by saying it costs too much to conserve, the only response necessary is that it costs too much to not conserve.