Each year, about 10,000 to 100,000 animal species die off.
Each
year
,
about
10,000
to
100,000
animal
species
die
off
.
They join the countless species that have gone extinct over the course of Earth's history - and extinction means forever.
They
join
the
countless
species
that
have
gone
extinct
over
the
course
of
Earth
's
history
-
and
extinction
means
forever
.
At least it used to.
At
least
it
used
to
.
Scientists are now closing in on the ability to bring back extinct species.
Scientists
are
now
closing
in
on
the
ability
to
bring
back
extinct
species
.
No, this doesn't mean the plot of Jurassic Park is going to become a reality.
No
,
this
does
n't
mean
the
plot
of
Jurassic
Park
is
going
to
become
a
reality
.
Researchers need DNA to bring back a species.
Researchers
need
DNA
to
bring
back
a
species
.
DNA is the chemical that carries the structure for a living thing.
DNA
is
the
chemical
that
carries
the
structure
for
a
living
thing
.
Dinosaurs have been gone too long for any of their DNA to remain in fossils.
Dinosaurs
have
been
gone
too
long
for
any
of
their
DNA
to
remain
in
fossils
.
But there's a very real chance that we will be able to bring back more recently extinct species.
But
there
's
a
very
real
chance
that
we
will
be
able
to
bring
back
more
recently
extinct
species
.
This could even include Ice Age animals like the woolly mammoth.
This
could
even
include
Ice
Age
animals
like
the
woolly
mammoth
.
In 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists re-created the Pyrenean ibex, which had gone extinct three years earlier.
In
2003
,
a
team
of
Spanish
and
French
scientists
re-created
the
Pyrenean
ibex
,
which
had
gone
extinct
three
years
earlier
.
The new animal didn't survive long, but scientific advances should improve the success rate.
The
new
animal
did
n't
survive
long
,
but
scientific
advances
should
improve
the
success
rate
.
In January, Australian scientists announced that they were on their way to bringing back the gastric brooding frog.
In
January
,
Australian
scientists
announced
that
they
were
on
their
way
to
bringing
back
the
gastric
brooding
frog
.
That we can bring species back doesn't mean that we should.
That
we
can
bring
species
back
does
n't
mean
that
we
should
.
There may be benefits to reviving a species.
There
may
be
benefits
to
reviving
a
species
.
But there's no way to know how it will turn out.
But
there
's
no
way
to
know
how
it
will
turn
out
.
For example, would a passenger pigeon fit into its old habitat?
For
example
,
would
a
passenger
pigeon
fit
into
its
old
habitat
?
Or might it crowd out existing species?
Or
might
it
crowd
out
existing
species
?
Environmentalists worry that our ability to bring species back might cut down support for the hard work of traditional conservation.
Environmentalists
worry
that
our
ability
to
bring
species
back
might
cut
down
support
for
the
hard
work
of
traditional
conservation
.
Why worry about preserving a wildlife habitat or fighting poachers if we know we can just make up for our mistakes?
Why
worry
about
preserving
a
wildlife
habitat
or
fighting
poachers
if
we
know
we
can
just
make
up
for
our
mistakes
?
But those extinctions are our mistakes to correct, which may give us an obligation to do so.
But
those
extinctions
are
our
mistakes
to
correct
,
which
may
give
us
an
obligation
to
do
so
.
As businessman and environmentalist Stewart Brand recently said, "Humans have made a huge hole in nature.
As
businessman
and
environmentalist
Stewart
Brand
recently
said
,
``
Humans
have
made
a
huge
hole
in
nature
.
We have the ability now to repair some of that damage."
We
have
the
ability
now
to
repair
some
of
that
damage
.
''
We would do well to remember the lesson of Jurassic Park: Proceed with caution.
We
would
do
well
to
remember
the
lesson
of
Jurassic
Park
:
Proceed
with
caution
.
Each year, about 10,000 to 100,000 animal species die off. They join the countless species that have gone extinct over the course of Earth's history - and extinction means forever. At least it used to. Scientists are now closing in on the ability to bring back extinct species. No, this doesn't mean the plot of Jurassic Park is going to become a reality. Researchers need DNA to bring back a species. DNA is the chemical that carries the structure for a living thing. Dinosaurs have been gone too long for any of their DNA to remain in fossils.  But there's a very real chance that we will be able to bring back more recently extinct species. This could even include Ice Age animals like the woolly mammoth. In 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists re-created the Pyrenean ibex, which had gone extinct three years earlier. The new animal didn't survive long, but scientific advances should improve the success rate. In January, Australian scientists announced that they were on their way to bringing back the gastric brooding frog.  That we can bring species back doesn't mean that we should. There may be benefits to reviving a species. But there's no way to know how it will turn out. For example, would a passenger pigeon fit into its old habitat? Or might it crowd out existing species?  Environmentalists worry that our ability to bring species back might cut down support for the hard work of traditional conservation. Why worry about preserving a wildlife habitat or fighting poachers if we know we can just make up for our mistakes?  But those extinctions are our mistakes to correct, which may give us an obligation to do so. As businessman and environmentalist Stewart Brand recently said, "Humans have made a huge hole in nature. We have the ability now to repair some of that damage."  We would do well to remember the lesson of Jurassic Park: Proceed with caution.