De-extinction

Congratulations!

This clue brought you down the very controversial path of de-extinction and whether or not this is something humans should be doing.

To provide some more insight on this topic, we will provide the good, the bad, and the ugly about pursuing de-extinction so you can make your own opinion about it.

On the bad side, bring back extinct animals could have potential risks to the precarious balances in many ecosystems. The predator-prey relationships and vegetation in ecosystems are highly specialized to support the living organisms that inhabit them. As these animals are no longer part of these ecosystems, introducing them could damage the balance and endanger other species.

On the good side, humans have brought about the early extinction of many animals through habitat lose, over hunting, and pollution. Bringing back the extinct species provides a re-do for humanity to do better protecting these species. This is tied to the argument that humans should be responsible to reverse the damage that we caused to ecosystems. Some of these organisms could also help the environment, such as reintroducing plants and animals that contribute to the decrease of carbon in the environment!

What are your thoughts on de-extinction? We'd love to hear - find us on social media @aminobiolab

Looking to explore the ethics and state of the research around de-extinction further? We recommend Rise of the Necrofauna by Britt Wray.