Podcasts Culture Nerdette The Case For De-Extinction

The Case For De-Extinction

Published: April 19, 2019, 5:01 a.m.

Scientists around the world are trying to figure out how to mitigate the potentially disastrous impacts of climate change.

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Among the innovative ideas? De-extinction.

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\u201cDe-extinction is a scientific movement that\u2019s aiming to recreate close versions of extinct species,\u201d said Britt Wray, the author of Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction.

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Wray says the idea is to create close facsimiles of \u201ckeystone species,\u201d or animals that had a profound impact on their ecosystems.

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As you can imagine, de-extinction brings up a lot of questions, including:

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  • How on earth do you replicate an ancient zebra-horse?

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  • What happens when countries can create patents for lab-grown animals?

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  • And why would we want woolly mammoths to roam the arctic again?

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Wray tackles all those questions, and more, on the latest episode of Nerdette.

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Click the \u201cplay\u201d button to listen to the entire conversation, which was produced and adapted for the web by Justin Bull.