That’s certainly intriguing! While the idea of resurrecting an extinct species may seem like something straight out of science fiction, it’s actually a field of active study known as de-extinction. Researchers mainly use two broad approaches: selective breeding or cloning using preserved DNA.
Several extinct species are candidates for this, such as the woolly mammoth, passenger pigeon, and dodo. For instance, focusing on the woolly mammoth, in 2021, a start-up company called Colossal, co-founded by Harvard Medical School genetics professor George Church, raised $15 million to bring back woolly mammoths by 2027 using CRISPR gene-editing. The goal is not just to bring back a mammoth but to rewild it in Siberia to help combat climate change.
However, there are various ethical and environmental considerations associated with de-extinction. These include potentially negative impacts on existing ecosystems, a risk of creating new diseases, and questions about animal welfare standards for resurrected species.
Moreover, the success rate is still low, and securing enough quality DNA is a significant challenge. But gradually, scientists are improving the techniques necessary for de-extinction, taking us closer to potentially seeing these extinct species once again.
Scientists inch forward in efforts to resurrect an extinct giant
That’s certainly intriguing! While the idea of resurrecting an extinct species may seem like something straight out of science fiction, it’s actually a field of active study known as de-extinction. Researchers mainly use two broad approaches: selective breeding or cloning using preserved DNA.
Several extinct species are candidates for this, such as the woolly mammoth, passenger pigeon, and dodo. For instance, focusing on the woolly mammoth, in 2021, a start-up company called Colossal, co-founded by Harvard Medical School genetics professor George Church, raised $15 million to bring back woolly mammoths by 2027 using CRISPR gene-editing. The goal is not just to bring back a mammoth but to rewild it in Siberia to help combat climate change.
However, there are various ethical and environmental considerations associated with de-extinction. These include potentially negative impacts on existing ecosystems, a risk of creating new diseases, and questions about animal welfare standards for resurrected species.
Moreover, the success rate is still low, and securing enough quality DNA is a significant challenge. But gradually, scientists are improving the techniques necessary for de-extinction, taking us closer to potentially seeing these extinct species once again.
