Bethany Higley
Journal 3 – Controversial Topics in Biology
Professor Hardy
4/14/13
De-Extinction
While many people once thought bringing an extinct species back to life would be
impossible, scientists are finding that it’s closer than some people may have thought. Biologists,
geneticists, ethicists, and others are now discussing the possibility of de-extinction. Is this a
realistic concept? What will be the effects? If we were to re-create a species, would that species
be able to reproduce and thrive in their once natural environment? Are there moral issues behind
this controversial topic? There are many more questions one could ask on such an interesting and
intriguing topic. The overall conclusion of scientists is that de-extinction is not unfeasible.
There are many extinct species but bringing back a species has many requirements. There
would have to be live cells still preserved, or at least a nucleus of a cell. Scientists are in the
process of re-creating the following species: wild goat known (bucardo), or Pyrenean ibex,
woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), passenger pigeons (Ectopistes migratorius),
and the northern/southern gastric brooding frogs (Rheobatrachus vitellinus/ silus). For the goat,
scientists were able to preserve DNA from the last living goat. They then injected the nuclei from the
cells of the last of the living species into cells of goats whose own DNA was emptied. Only seven
animals out of fifty-seven implanted with these cells became pregnant. Only one of the seven carried
a clone to full term but the clone died shortly after birth. For the wooly mammoth, scientists from
Russia and South Korea tried to clone and redevelop a living specimen in 2012. Because of the frozen
environment the wooly mammoth once walked on, it has been entombed and slowed down the
degradation DNA. Scientists began to diagram big sections of the mammoth’s genome by means of
DNA sequencers. Scientists say they can modify chromosomes and make sort of an elephant and
mammoth hybrid. For de-extinction in general, scientists have developed the capability to stimulate
adult animal cells to go back to a state similar to an embryo. These cells can then be pushed to grow
into basically any kind of cell including sperm or egg. Furthermore, they can then be manipulated
more into embryos.
There are many pros and cons to this fascinating yet controversial topic. The pros would be
the growth of science. If this were to happen, scientists could maybe figure out the species past and
why exactly they became vulnerable, then extinct. People say that many of the species scientists
would try to bring back were originally wiped out by the hand of humans. With that being said, the
notion is that the human race took them out and needs to bring them back. This brings us to ethical
and moral issues. Some say that scientists are trying to play God and why bring back something that
God took off the Earth. Others say it’s a waste of funding to try to bring back extinct species when
that money should be spent on endangered species and trying to save what we still have. Hunting is a
big factor in many extinct species, but bringing that species back would not get rid of the hunting
problem. Also, many species became extinct because of environmental issues, which have not gotten
any better, and probably worse.
In my opinion, I think de-extinction is a great step for science. I think man played a big part
of species going extinct, and it is great man can play a big part in bringing them back. With that
being said, I don’t think every species that can be brought back, should be. If there is a good chance
for the species to be able to thrive in its natural environment again, and at the same time be a help
for science, then I am all for de-extinction. If an animal is brought back only to be gawked at zoos,
and used for testing in labs, I think that would be wrong. There are fine lines that need to be drawn
in this sensitive issue, but I think if handled correctly, this could be a great step for science.
References
Zimmer, C. (2013, April). Bringing them back to life. Retrieved from
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/species-revival/zimmer-text