What is DE-EXTINCTION and why does it matter?
WHAT IS “DE-EXTINCTION”?
🦤 Brings back extinct species using biotechnology (“resurrection biology”, “species revivalism”).
🧬 Different methods, like cloning, genome editing, and selective breeding.
🐐 First done 2003, when scientists cloned a Pyrenean Ibex, but the baby died soon after birth.
🦣 Proposed for extinct species like Woolly Mammoth, Passenger Pigeon, Tasmanian Tiger, and Gastric-brooding Frog.
🦕 Does not work for extinct species with DNA too degraded/fragmented for recovery, like dinosaurs.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
🤷🏻♀️ Has pros/cons and raises questions.
🙂 Pros: Restores biodiversity and lost ecosystems, enhances scientific knowledge, inspires public interest in conservation, and usable to save living endangered species during ongoing 6th mass extinction.
😥 Cons: Long-term, complex process creating and maintaining viable populations of resurrected species in suitable habitats. Expensive - costs millions of dollars to bring back 1 species! Could condone extinction and human acts that threaten biodiversity.
❓Practical: Will resurrected species’ diversity be enough and traits be authentic? Will public support de-extinction? Will it get adequate funding and expertise?
❓Ethical: Is it right to interfere with nature? Is there moral duty to revive species driven to extinction by People? Is it fair to use wildlife as means to an end? Is it respectful to species’ identity and dignity? Is it justified to divert resources from *stopping* extinction? Is it responsible to create more risks for our Planet’s future?
❓Ecological: Can resurrected species survive in today’s environment and produce viable offspring? Will they negatively impact existing species, ecosystems, and biodiversity? Will they help or hurt People’s health and wellbeing?
❓Legal: Should resurrected species be subject to legal/regulatory frameworks?
PROJECTS?
⓵ Colossal Biosciences: Woolly Mammoth, Tasmanian Tiger, Dodo
⓶ Revive & Restore: Passenger Pigeon, Black-footed Ferret
⓷ Quagga Project: Quagga
⓸ Lazarus Project: Gastric-brooding Frog
WHAT IS “DE-EXTINCTION”?
🦤 Brings back extinct species using biotechnology (“resurrection biology”, “species revivalism”).
🧬 Different methods, like cloning, genome editing, and selective breeding.
🐐 First done 2003, when scientists cloned a Pyrenean Ibex, but the baby died soon after birth.
🦣 Proposed for extinct species like Woolly Mammoth, Passenger Pigeon, Tasmanian Tiger, and Gastric-brooding Frog.
🦕 Does not work for extinct species with DNA too degraded/fragmented for recovery, like dinosaurs.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
🤷🏻♀️ Has pros/cons and raises questions.
🙂 Pros: Restores biodiversity and lost ecosystems, enhances scientific knowledge, inspires public interest in conservation, and usable to save living endangered species during ongoing 6th mass extinction.
😥 Cons: Long-term, complex process creating and maintaining viable populations of resurrected species in suitable habitats. Expensive - costs millions of dollars to bring back 1 species! Could condone extinction and human acts that threaten biodiversity.
❓Practical: Will resurrected species’ diversity be enough and traits be authentic? Will public support de-extinction? Will it get adequate funding and expertise?
❓Ethical: Is it right to interfere with nature? Is there moral duty to revive species driven to extinction by People? Is it fair to use wildlife as means to an end? Is it respectful to species’ identity and dignity? Is it justified to divert resources from *stopping* extinction? Is it responsible to create more risks for our Planet’s future?
❓Ecological: Can resurrected species survive in today’s environment and produce viable offspring? Will they negatively impact existing species, ecosystems, and biodiversity? Will they help or hurt People’s health and wellbeing?
❓Legal: Should resurrected species be subject to legal/regulatory frameworks?
PROJECTS?
⓵ Colossal Biosciences: Woolly Mammoth, Tasmanian Tiger, Dodo
⓶ Revive & Restore: Passenger Pigeon, Black-footed Ferret
⓷ Quagga Project: Quagga
⓸ Lazarus Project: Gastric-brooding Frog