This week's article explores Colossal Biosciences' efforts to genetically engineer grey wolves resembling dire wolves, the first of their kind in over 10,000 years, as part of a mission to de-extinct lost species. This ambitious project reframes the notion of survival, suggesting we can shape our future by editing it rather than merely inheriting it. The company also believes that the methods developed could aid in the conservation of endangered species, generating ecological resilience in the face of climate change. This controversial venture opens up discussions about ethics and the implications of genetic resurrection.
Key quote: "If all this seems to smack of a P.T. Barnum, the company has a reply. Colossal claims that the same techniques it uses to summon back species from the dead could prevent existing but endangered animals from slipping into extinction themselves. What they learn restoring the mammoth, they say, could help them engineer more robust elephants that can better survive the climatic ravages of a warming world. Bring back the thylacine and you might help preserve the related marsupial known as the quoll. Techniques learned restoring the dire wolf can similarly be used to support the endangered red wolf."
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