The rapid spread of humans is causing many species to disappear off the face of the earth – in a so-called mass extinction. Some scientists are trying to reverse this process, by bringing back extinct species, such as the Dodo, the Passenger Pigeon, or the Wolly Mammoth. In the 14th episode of We’re doomed, we’re saved Andreas Horchler and Louise von Stechow discuss the breeding procedures and genetic engineering techniques that might be used for brining back extinct animals. We also discuss the ethical implications from resource waste to animal welfare – and what it might mean to be the first and the last member of a (de)extinct species.

Content and Editing: Louise von Stechow and Andreas Horchler

Disclaimer: Louise von Stechow, Andreas Horchler and their guests express their personal opinions, which are founded on research on the respective topics, but do not claim to give medical, investment or even life advice in the podcast.

Learn more about the future of biotech in our podcasts and keynotes. Contact us here: scientific communication: https://science-tales.com/ Podcasts: https://www.podcon.de/ Keynotes: https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/louise-von-stechow

Image: John Benitez- via Unsplash

References: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/13/geneticist-george-church-gets-funding-for-lab-grown-woolly-mammoths.html https://colossal.com/de-extinction/ https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-de-extinction-is-impossible-but-could-work-anyway-20220509/ https://e360.yale.edu/features/the_case_against_de-extinction_its_a_fascinating_but_dumb_idea https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a32743456/rapid-mass-extinction/ https://www.britannica.com/video/214809/Dodo-extinct-bird-island-Indian-Ocean-human-induced-extinction