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Okay, my mistake, you'll need a Dino to do this.
Instead of pretending you are a paleontologist how about pretending you are a forensic scientist, and extract some other kind of DNA.
First, you will need a-not-so-hard-to-find source of DNA.
Don't worry, this process does not require you or anyone to suffer any pain.
Sources of DNA are plentiful because DNA literally grows on trees. DNA is found in the nucleus of plant cells and plant cells can be found in hundreds of places, not just in trees.
Plant DNA can often be found at the scene of a crime or on the victim or suspect, placing them together at some point in time.
For this Instructable I'm going to use plant DNA. Most plants have eight units of DNA or 8 copies of each chromosome per cell (called Octoploids) instead of just 2 copies as in most animal cells (called Diploids) or only one copy, as in sperm cells (called Haploids).
For this Instructable I've chosen cells from ripe strawberries because in addition to having lots of DNA they also have lots of enzymes to help break down cell walls.
In the absence of strawberries most any kind of ripe fruit, like watermelon, bananas or kiwi, can be used - although less DNA can be extracted.
Instead of pretending you are a paleontologist how about pretending you are a forensic scientist, and extract some other kind of DNA.
First, you will need a-not-so-hard-to-find source of DNA.
Don't worry, this process does not require you or anyone to suffer any pain.
Sources of DNA are plentiful because DNA literally grows on trees. DNA is found in the nucleus of plant cells and plant cells can be found in hundreds of places, not just in trees.
Plant DNA can often be found at the scene of a crime or on the victim or suspect, placing them together at some point in time.
For this Instructable I'm going to use plant DNA. Most plants have eight units of DNA or 8 copies of each chromosome per cell (called Octoploids) instead of just 2 copies as in most animal cells (called Diploids) or only one copy, as in sperm cells (called Haploids).
For this Instructable I've chosen cells from ripe strawberries because in addition to having lots of DNA they also have lots of enzymes to help break down cell walls.
In the absence of strawberries most any kind of ripe fruit, like watermelon, bananas or kiwi, can be used - although less DNA can be extracted.
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Signing UpStep 1Prepare the precipitant
First place a bottle of 91% Isopropyl alcohol in the freezer.
Although Isopropyl will not freeze it will get ice cold and expand, so be sure there is enough air space in the bottle for expansion.
(You may also want to chill a small bottle or a beaker to make pouring the alcohol into a test tube or other sample retainer a lot easier later on.)
Although Isopropyl will not freeze it will get ice cold and expand, so be sure there is enough air space in the bottle for expansion.
(You may also want to chill a small bottle or a beaker to make pouring the alcohol into a test tube or other sample retainer a lot easier later on.)
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