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Dinosaurs have always existed in the human imagination. Whether it’s through blockbuster films like Jurassic Park or contemporary attempts to eradicate extinct animals like Woolly Mammoths, Dodos, and Dire Wolves, humans seem to retain an interest in bringing extinct life back into existence.
In light of ongoing research into this possibility, there are discussions within the scientific and biotechnology communities regarding the possibility of reversing the trend of extinction using advanced technologies such as genetic engineering, cloning, and even regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology. What attracts humans to revive extinct species is, among other things, curiosity, nostalgia, scientific ambition, and even climate concerns.
Alongside all these positive aspects lie ethical considerations regarding biodiversity and human intervention in natural processes.
Man’s enduring fascination with dinosaurs De-extinction
Humans have been drawn to giant animals since time immemorial, and nothing fits this definition more than dinosaurs. Prehistoric animals have become part of our culture with books, films, and museums featuring large skeletons of these animals. Many see dinosaurs as symbols of terror, domination, and a post-civilizational world.
Jurassic Park was the beginning of a revolution in public opinion. It depicted the exciting prospect of bringing back prehistoric animals through scientific manipulation of ancient DNA. While everyone acknowledges the impossibility of recovering dinosaur DNA due to its deterioration over time, the idea itself has fueled public interest in the science of dinosaur extinction.Biotechnology companies such as Colossal Biosciences are already trying to revive some extinct animals, such as the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger, using genetics. According to an interview published in Nature, Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, noted that the company was inspired to take on the mission of inspiring future generations amid declining levels of biodiversity.
Why do scientists want to revive extinct species?
The idea of extinction can no longer be classified solely within the category of science fiction. Specialists from MUSE: Science Museum, Trento, Italy, emphasize that this technology could become useful in restoring the ecosystem and protecting endangered species.Among the various possibilities, cloning, genome editing and stem cell research are considered potential options for achieving de-extinction goals. Some scientists also point out that reintroducing animals could contribute to improving biodiversity and ecological balance.For example, WISS core faculty member George Church, Harvard geneticist and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences at TEDx, organized by National Geographic, which explores the revival and reintroduction of extinct species, made several statements about how gene editing technologies will allow for the preservation of living species. Thus, innovations used in extinct species may also help protect living endangered animals.In addition, emotional motives cannot be ignored when considering the issue of renaissance. Humans are causing species to become extinct by destroying their habitats, hunting them, and causing global warming. Therefore, some specialists believe that a person has a moral duty to reverse what happened. Bin Lam also stressed the need for people to take any measures to confront the negative effects resulting from the human factor.
Ethical controversy around it Resurrection of dinosaurs and de-extinction
Although there are enthusiastic opinions about reviving extinct species, most scientists do not believe in the idea of their extinction. Some researchers claim it would steal valuable resources that could be used to conserve currently endangered species.Although a scientist from the University of Buffalo’s Department of Biological Sciences, Vincent J. Lynch points out that the revived animals would not be able to survive in the modern environment, because they have evolved significantly since the extinction of those species.
Animal welfare, commercialization, and the unpredictable effects of creating genetically modified organisms pose additional ethical problems.There is another fact that cannot be ignored: dinosaurs could not be revived because millions of years have passed since their existence. The DNA of extinct species is destroyed and is not preserved; Therefore, there is no genome for any dinosaur in the modern world. Most extinction attempts refer to recently extinct animals that have conserved genomes.However, the fascination with the idea of bringing dinosaurs back to life persists because it appeals to people and represents a certain human need to compensate for losses, overcome nature and restore ancient life.
