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Novak is among a small group of "de-extinction" engineers, a relatively fringe group of scientists that hope to use genetic engineering to protect or revive iconic animal species ravaged by human activity.
To some, de-extinction is an ecological-sized guilt trip, a species-wide Pet Cemetery horror story ripe for disaster. Yes, biodiversity is important; but who is to say that an extinct species can adapt and survive in an ecological system that's moved on since its passing? Or perhaps more importantly, what if newly-revived animals—a true "invasive species" for Earth—cause more damage than good to our fragile ecosystem?
"Why go through the trouble" is something his team gets asked, said Novak. For passenger pigeons, the answer is simple: recently, almost a
millennium[century] after their man-driven extinction, we finally understand the critical role they played in shaping the eastern North American ecosphere.
The passenger pigeon isn't extinct -- it's merely resting.
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday October 24 2018, @03:22PM (8 children)
Fucking dogs and rats got to eat all of them the first time.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Wednesday October 24 2018, @03:30PM (1 child)
Cloning of mammoth will be successful in 10 years, predicts head of region earmarked for their home [siberiantimes.com]
Scientists take samples in bid to clone extinct foal as first step to restoring woolly mammoth [siberiantimes.com]
http://www.pleistocenepark.ru/en/ [pleistocenepark.ru]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleistocene_Park [wikipedia.org]
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/308/5723/796.1 [sciencemag.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday October 24 2018, @04:05PM
Amazing what they're doing in Russia. If they succeed it will be amazing. Bringing back the Mammoth, that's HUGE. And that one will make a great mascot for our fabulous @GOP [twitter.com]. I brought Peter Thiel to our 2016 Convention. And the crowd went wild! 2020, I want a Mammoth. Go Russia!!
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Wednesday October 24 2018, @04:47PM (1 child)
Actually most of them were eaten by Dutch sailors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodo [wikipedia.org]
"It is easier to fool someone than it is to convince them that they have been fooled" Mark Twain
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 24 2018, @05:33PM
I didn't understand the bit about fucking dogs and rats, either.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Blymie on Wednesday October 24 2018, @04:54PM (2 children)
You're thinking of something else... these aren't birds from an island or some such.
Passenger pigeons used to be so numerous in North America, that they literally blocked out the sun for an hour or more when a flock of them flew by. Millions and millions, literally millions per flock.
They lived in cliffs, and were apparently very easy to hunt. Hunted completely to extinction, just like the buffalo were.
There are numerous recipes for them in old cook books too.... apparently delicious if spiced correctly. They've been talking about bringing it back for a long time, since they have very good specimens with great DNA around...
(Score: 1) by Blymie on Wednesday October 24 2018, @04:57PM
Sorry .. didn't see your dodo subject line. My bad.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 24 2018, @10:22PM
If the old passenger pigeon recipes aren't that good, they might be a good source of wings...for buffalo wings (said the AC from Buffalo, NY).
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday October 24 2018, @08:36PM
To be fair, passing sailors ate a fair few.
If you're keen on trying Dodo, what about a 3.6 metre tall one? [wikipedia.org]
It still annoys me that the Maori didn't figure out how to farm them before they ate the lot.