In the 1920s, Russian biologist Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov perfected artificial insemination and its practical application as a way to successfully breed horses. This was a fantastic feat at the time, and Ivanov soon focused his efforts on cross-breeding humans and apes via artificial insemination, with the goal of creating a humanzee.
Read MoreDays of Yore (a blog)
Learning from the past can be laughable. CockBloq's blog, In the Days of Yore, takes a snarky, modern look at stories from the past, highlighting what we've learned—or haven't.
For elephants, hope came in the form of plastic (1868)
In the late 19th and early 20th century, the popularity of billiards soared, and the most desired billiard balls were made of ivory, cut from the tusks of Asian elephants. The demand proved nearly dismal for the elephant population, and a suitable substitute for elephant ivory was sought.
Read More