The Man Bringing Extinct Creatures Back To Life - Ben Lamm

TL;DR

A company aims to bring back extinct species, including woolly mammoths, to combat biodiversity loss and climate change.

Transcript

just as a headline here you're trying to fix global warming by bringing woolly mammoths back to life amongst a number of other extinct creatures right well I I don't think that one company can fix global warming I I think that we are at the you know brink of a major biodiversity crisis which will lead to ecosystem collapse and uh restoring ecosyste... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙃 The company focuses on de-extinction to restore biodiversity and combat climate change.
• 💯 The process involves editing core genes and using cloning to produce proxy species of extinct animals.
• ☠️ Well-preserved remains in permafrost, such as bones and teeth, provide ancient DNA for analysis.
• 🦣 Restoring ecosystems by reintroducing lost species like mammoths can help mitigate climate change.
• 🙃 De-extinction efforts require collaboration with governments, indigenous groups, and regulatory agencies.
• 🧑‍⚕️ The future potential of gene-editing and gene therapies in humans could have significant impacts on health and longevity.

Questions & Answers

Q: Can a single company solve global warming by bringing back woolly mammoths?

The company acknowledges the need for collective efforts to combat biodiversity loss and climate change. While they contribute by restoring ecosystems and bringing back lost species, they do not claim to be the sole solution.

Q: How does de-extinction work?

De-extinction involves isolating and editing the core genes of an extinct species, using DNA from preserved remains. The edited genes are then introduced into the cells of a related living species and the embryo is implanted into a surrogate.

Q: Where do they get the genomic material for extinct animals?

Genomic material is obtained from well-preserved remains found in permafrost, such as bones, teeth, and soft tissues. These samples provide ancient DNA for analysis and gene editing.

Q: Can the DNA extracted from ancient remains be completely sequenced?

DNA extracted from ancient remains is often degraded over time and may not provide a complete sequence. However, with advancements in sequencing technologies, scientists can achieve a high coverage of DNA fragments, enabling precise comparisons and edits.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The company focuses on de-extinction, which involves bringing back extinct species by restoring their core genes to build proxy species.

• They use biotechnology to edit Asian elephant cells with mammoth genes and then go through the cloning process to produce a mammoth.

• Genomic research is conducted to extract DNA from well-preserved remains, such as bones, teeth, and soft tissues, found in permafrost.