Jurassic Park in New Orleans

This is an incredibly cool story. Apparently, just outside of New Orleans, there is a lab where scientists are using cloning to preserve or restore endangered or recently extinct animals.

The electronic metal gates closed ominously behind us as we entered the exotic world of the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, just outside New Orleans.

Our small group of journalists was escorted into a place reminiscent of the film Jurassic Park in more ways than one.

The movie is based on the fantasy of bringing rampaging dinosaurs back to life through samples of ancient DNA preserved in amber.

The biggest carnivore they have cloned from DNA so far here at the centre is an African wildcat; the science is very real, and it works.

The African wild cats were created via cloning and then in vitro fertiization and birthed by a domestic cat. They have three identical cats now.

Our young guide, Erin Sarrat, who is assistant curator for the precious animals and birds here, explained the extraordinary relationships between the three animals prowling around in front of us: "Jazz was a cat who was created by in vitro fertilisation."

"He was born from a domestic cat, but he's an African wildcat - interspecies embryo transfer - the first ever for that kind of technology."

Pointing to the right-hand cage, she continued: "We cloned Jazz, and got Ditteaux, then we cloned Jazz again, and got Miles."

They are three genetically identical creatures, developed from one small batch of cells.

This is exactly the sort of thing, while not as high profile as new cures for human diseases, that technology can promise in the future. It's also a good reason to fight back against the current administration's rejection of science and education in favor of religious muttering and voodoo. Check out the pictures of the cats in this article. Very cool indeed.