Science News Roundup: Stem cells give hope for revival of Malaysia's extinct rhinos and more

Stem cells give hope for revival of Malaysia's extinct rhinos Some skin, eggs and tissue samples are all that remain of Malaysia's last rhino, Iman, who died last November after years of failed breeding attempts. Now scientists are pinning their hopes on experimental stem cell technology to bring back the Malaysian variant of the Sumatran rhinoceros, making use of cells from Iman and two other dead rhinos.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Back from the dead? Stem cells give hope for revival of Malaysia's extinct rhinos

Some skin, eggs and tissue samples are all that remain of Malaysia's last rhino, Iman, who died last November after years of failed breeding attempts. Now scientists are pinning their hopes on experimental stem cell technology to bring back the Malaysian variant of the Sumatran rhinoceros, making use of cells from Iman and two other dead rhinos.

British fossil hunters find bones of new dinosaur species, cousin to T.Rex

Four bones found on a beach on the Isle of Wight, off England's south coast, belong to a new species of theropod dinosaur, the group that includes Tyrannosaurus rex, researchers at the University of Southampton said on Wednesday. The new dinosaur, which has been named Vectaerovenator inopinatus, lived in the Cretaceous period 115 million years ago and was estimated to have been up to four metres long, the palaeontologists said.