After the uproar over the de-extinction of dire wolves, bioethicist Arthur Caplan asked in Plos Biology: “Should scientists be allowed to bring distant human ancestors back to life?” The Italian edition of Scientific American invited me to investigate how technically difficult it would be to de-extinct a Neanderthal and what the risks and benefits of such a project might be. Below are the statements provided by the specialists I consulted.
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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) rejects the moratorium request and approves a resolution recognizing the risks and benefits of SynBio techniques, calling for case-by-case evaluations
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The dire wolves “genetically resurrected” by the U.S.-based company Colossal have impressed many with their beauty but have also scandalized others. Among the latter are commentators criticizing the media hype, and naturalists worried that a few partially “de-extinct” animals may attract more attention than the long list of species currently at risk of extinction due to climate change and other human actions. It doesn’t help that the dire wolves’ comeback has no foundation in published scientific data—no peer-reviewed articles, no preprints yet, only two extensive reportages and some YouTube videos. There is certainly room for controversy. However, if we only listen to the critical voices, we risk losing sight of some key facts.
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Plans to genetically bring mammoths and other vanished animals back to life have scientific stakes far beyond the imagery of Jurassic Park
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Are you more excited, worried, or skeptical about the mammoth de-extinction project revived by George Church’s new start-up? Most people (me included) have mixed feelings. In any case, there is a must-read article in STAT that will help clear your mind.
I watched Genesis 2.0, which is debuting in Italy almost two years after its release at the Sundance Film Festival. In the meanwhile, Semyon Grigoriyev has died. The Russian paleontologist leading the effort to clone a mammoth was one of the movie’s main characters. He always had little chance of success, and the plan’s odds are now worse than ever.
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