The events described in the current box-office hit "Jurassic World" may soon go from the big screen to reality.
Scientists from Harvard and Yale Universities are currently conducting experiments that seek to recreate prehistoric dinosaurs.
How exactly will they accomplish this goal? The scientists are looking at altering the genetic makeup of one of the most common animals we know: the chicken.
Dr. Jack Horner, who is part of the team conducting the experiments to bring the extinct dinosaurs back to life, said these prehistoric reptiles share very similar traits with chickens.
"Of course, birds are dinosaurs. So we just need to fix them so they look a little more like a dinosaur," Horner, who was consulted in all four "Jurassic" films, said in an interview with People Magazine.
According to Horner, his team is focusing on four major differences between dinosaurs and birds: their mouths, hands, tails and arms.
"Dinosaurs had long tails, arms, and hands—and through evolution they've lost their tails, and their arms and hands have turned into wings. Additionally, their whole snout has changed from the velociraptor-look to the bird-like beak morphology," the scientist explained.
Through genetic splicing and dicing in chicken embryos, the scientists have so far made the beak of some chickens they are experimenting on resemble a dinosaur's snout.
Through these experiments, the scientists are actually attempting to reverse evolution, since dinosaurs are believed to be chickens' predecessors.
"Actually, the wings and hands are not as difficult. The tail is the biggest project. But on the other hand, we have been able to do some things recently that have given us hope that it won't take too long," Horner said.
Harvard scientists also earlier attempted to recreate extinct mammoths by inserting their genes into elephants.
