Imagine a place in Siberia, within the Arctic Circle, called Pleistocene Park. This park covers a massive 50 square mile area and is designed to look like it did 2 million years ago. The creators have replaced forests with grasslands and filled it with large animals like horses and bison to recreate the Ice Age atmosphere. But to make it truly authentic, they need one more thing: the woolly mammoth.
About 4,500 years ago, the last known mammoth died on an island in the Arctic Ocean. Today, they only exist in our imaginations. But do they have to stay extinct forever? While humans weren’t entirely responsible for the extinction of mammoths, we have caused many other species to disappear. Scientists are now exploring the idea of de-extinction to bring back lost biodiversity.
De-extinction isn’t as simple as it seems in movies. DNA contains the instructions for building and maintaining an organism. Scientists first cloned a mammal two decades ago by inserting DNA into an empty embryo. But to bring back extinct animals, we need a complete set of DNA instructions, not just a part of it.
Think of DNA as a giant book. If you lose every 10th word, the story becomes unreadable. When an animal dies, its DNA starts to break down, and after about 521 years, half of it is gone. Although deep freezing has helped preserve mammoth DNA, it’s still too incomplete for cloning. Scientists need to get creative to recreate ancient creatures.
Scientists have gathered some DNA from well-preserved mammoths and assembled a complete mammoth genome on a computer. While we can’t just “print” a mammoth, we might be able to edit a close relative, like the Asian elephant. By swapping certain genes, we could create a hybrid embryo with mammoth-like traits, such as cold resistance, bigger tusks, and fur. This embryo would then be placed inside a living Asian elephant until it is born, which is a challenging process.
Elephant pregnancies last over a year and a half, and using endangered species for experiments is risky. Even if successful, one mammoth isn’t enough to revive a species. A healthy population needs genetic diversity, requiring hundreds or thousands of “sort of” mammoths.
Instead of starting from scratch, scientists can reverse engineer animals. Surprisingly, the modern chicken is a close relative of the T. rex. By tweaking chicken genes, scientists have created features that resemble dinosaurs, like turning a beak into a snout. Similarly, modifying elephant genes could produce a mammoth-like creature, but would it truly be a mammoth?
Even if we can bring back extinct animals, should we? The world has changed since these animals roamed the Earth. Places like Pleistocene Park are trying to recreate ancient habitats, but will the necessary food and microbes be available for these animals? De-extinction is expensive and difficult. Instead of focusing on the past, we could use genetic tools to save species currently at risk of extinction, like the California condor and the vaquita. By enhancing their genetic diversity, we can help them survive and thrive.
Thanks to 23andMe for supporting this exploration of genetics. The name ’23andMe’ comes from the 23 pairs of chromosomes in human DNA. This company helps people understand their DNA, revealing ancestral origins and how genetics influence health, appearance, and even sleep patterns. By providing a DNA sample, you can learn about your unique genetic story.
Analyzing my DNA taught me about my genetic traits, like caffeine consumption and sleep patterns. Discovering the origins of my mitochondrial DNA was fascinating. If you’re curious about your DNA, check out 23andMe.com/OKAY. Let us know if you give it a try, and stay curious!
Conduct a simple DNA extraction experiment using fruits like strawberries or bananas. This hands-on activity will help you understand the basics of DNA and its importance in de-extinction. Follow the steps to isolate DNA strands and observe them under a microscope.
Participate in a class debate on the ethical and environmental implications of de-extinction. Research both sides of the argument and present your case, considering factors like biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and resource allocation.
Work in groups to create a timeline that outlines the key events and scientific advancements in the field of de-extinction. Include milestones such as the first successful cloning of a mammal and the development of CRISPR technology.
Imagine you are tasked with designing a modern-day Pleistocene Park. Use your creativity to plan the layout, select species to include, and address challenges like habitat restoration and animal care. Present your design to the class.
Learn about genetic engineering tools like CRISPR by watching educational videos and reading articles. Discuss how these tools can be used in de-extinction and conservation efforts. Reflect on the potential benefits and risks associated with genetic modification.
This episode is supported by 23andMe. Covering a 50 square mile area in Siberia in the Arctic Circle, you’ll find a place called Pleistocene Park. Its human creators have replaced its forests with grasslands to restore the landscape to what it looked like 2 million years ago. It’s currently populated by large mammals like horses and bison to give it that “last Ice Age” feel, but to make it truly authentic, they just need one more thing.
Around 4,500 years ago, on an island in the Arctic Ocean, the world’s last mammoth died a lonely death. Now, they only live on in our imaginations. But do they really have to be gone forever? Humans aren’t completely responsible for the extinction of mammoths, but we are responsible for many other extinctions, and that list is quickly growing. These species are extinct, but in many cases, their DNA is still around, in places like museum drawers and buried in the ground. Today, scientists think de-extinction might be the answer to saving our planet’s lost biodiversity.
De-extinction is more complicated than it looks in the movies. DNA holds the instructions for an organism’s assembly, life, and reproduction. By inserting a copy of DNA instructions into an empty embryo, scientists successfully cloned the first mammal two decades ago. So if we have some of their DNA, bringing back extinct animals should be easy, right? Of course, it’s not that simple! To make a clone or exact copy of anything, you need a complete set of genetic instructions—not 50% or 95%, but 100%.
Imagine the genome as a huge book. If you lose every 10th word, would you still be able to read the story? Unfortunately, as soon as something dies, its DNA starts to fall apart. On average, it takes just 521 years for half an animal’s genetic material to degrade. Deep freezing mammoths has improved DNA preservation, but those instructions are still too incomplete to fire up the cloning machine. To recreate anything remotely ancient, scientists are going to have to get creative.
We’ve obtained a bit of DNA from several well-preserved mammoths, allowing us to assemble a whole mammoth genome inside a computer, but we can’t just print out a big fuzzy elephant from scratch. However, we might be able to edit one. Just like you “cut and paste” on your computer, we could snip out certain genes of a close relative like the Asian elephant and replace them with whatever genetic material makes a woolly mammoth unique, like resistance to cold, bigger tusks, and fur. Then, this hybrid embryo would be placed inside a living Asian elephant until it is born, which is a lot harder than it sounds.
For starters, elephant pregnancy lasts more than a year and a half, and we may not want to gamble with a species that’s already endangered. Even if we figure all that out, one mammoth doesn’t bring back a species. Populations with just a few members have low genetic diversity. Their DNA is almost identical, making them susceptible to disease or even infertility. Hundreds or thousands of “sort of” mammoths will need to be created to maintain a diverse and healthy population.
But why build something from scratch when you can reverse engineer it? Believe it or not, the modern chicken is a relatively close relative of T. rex. By carefully controlling the expression of certain chicken genes, scientists have been able to bring out some more “dinosaur-like” features, like turning the beak into something resembling a snout. Bit by bit, this method could create a creature that isn’t a chicken but isn’t quite a dinosaur either—sort of a paleontologist’s version of Frankenstein. Hacking elephant genes could give us something that looks like a mammoth, but would it truly be a mammoth or just an elephant wearing a disguise?
Even if we could bring extinct animals back, it doesn’t necessarily mean we should. Since these animals were around, a lot has changed. Places like Siberia’s Pleistocene Park are trying to recreate ancient habitats, but when these old species arrive at their new home, will the food they once ate even be available? What about the microbes that helped keep them alive? De-extinction will be really expensive and really hard. So why do it?
Maybe instead of trying to pay back the planet for our past mistakes or just reinventing our favorite movies, we should focus on not making new mistakes. Instead, these new genetic tools could help save animals in imminent danger of extinction today. Species like the California condor, black-footed ferret, and the vaquita are all on the verge of disappearing forever. The same technology that makes de-extinction possible could allow us to add variety to these species’ DNA, creating genetic diversity to make their populations bigger and stronger. That way, we won’t be facing the same problems 4,000 years from now.
Stay curious! Thanks to 23andMe for sponsoring this episode. The name ‘23andMe’ comes from the fact that human DNA is organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes. 23andMe is a personal genetic analysis company created to help people understand their DNA. You can see which regions around the world your ancestors come from, learn how DNA impacts your health, facial features, hair, sense of smell, and even how you sleep. You just have to provide a DNA sample.
Analyzing my DNA taught me a lot about my genetic traits. I learned how my genes affect my caffeine consumption, how deep a sleeper I am, and even the origin of the DNA in my mitochondria. You can learn more about your personal DNA story and support our show by going to 23andMe.com/OKAY. I studied genetics for my PhD, and learning about my DNA was incredibly enjoyable. Let us know if you give it a try. See you next week!
De-extinction – The process of reviving extinct species through scientific methods such as cloning and genetic engineering. – Scientists are exploring de-extinction to bring back species like the woolly mammoth.
Biodiversity – The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of different species. – The Amazon rainforest is known for its incredible biodiversity, hosting thousands of plant and animal species.
DNA – The molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms. – DNA analysis helps scientists understand the genetic makeup of different species.
Mammoth – A large, extinct elephant-like mammal that lived during the Ice Age, known for its long curved tusks and shaggy hair. – Fossils of the woolly mammoth have been found preserved in the Siberian permafrost.
Species – A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. – The cheetah is a species that is currently at risk of extinction due to habitat loss.
Genetic – Relating to genes or heredity, often involving the study of how traits are passed from parents to offspring. – Genetic research has led to breakthroughs in understanding inherited diseases.
Elephant – A large mammal with a trunk, known for its intelligence and social behavior, found in Africa and Asia. – Conservation efforts are in place to protect the African elephant from poaching.
Cloning – The process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals, often used in scientific research. – Cloning techniques have been used to create copies of plants and animals for study.
Habitat – The natural environment in which a particular species lives and grows, providing the necessary conditions for survival. – Deforestation is a major threat to the habitat of many rainforest species.
Extinction – The permanent loss of a species when the last individual dies, often due to environmental changes or human activities. – The extinction of the dodo bird is a famous example of how human activity can impact wildlife.
