Definitely enjoyed the part about using de-extinction tech to preserve already alive species, the 2nd order effect of this research will hopefully be a massive reduction in cost to save struggling endangered populations, a net positive!
One extra challenge in mammoth de-extinction: the argument about tundra conservation seems to be speculative. Looking at Colossal's website, they don't appear to have any ecologists in leadership positions. The idea that mammoths preserve tundra by trampling soil is based upon studies in African elephants: studies which haven't been replicated in other megafauna. It's cart before the horse: isn't it more likely that the tundra retreated due to the end of the last Ice Age, and this habitat loss contributed to mammoth extinction?
Curious what your sources are for this quote -- “A lot of the edits we have to make are precise,” says Church, “and precision editing is not a healthy field yet.”
Definitely enjoyed the part about using de-extinction tech to preserve already alive species, the 2nd order effect of this research will hopefully be a massive reduction in cost to save struggling endangered populations, a net positive!
One extra challenge in mammoth de-extinction: the argument about tundra conservation seems to be speculative. Looking at Colossal's website, they don't appear to have any ecologists in leadership positions. The idea that mammoths preserve tundra by trampling soil is based upon studies in African elephants: studies which haven't been replicated in other megafauna. It's cart before the horse: isn't it more likely that the tundra retreated due to the end of the last Ice Age, and this habitat loss contributed to mammoth extinction?
also really enjoyed/appreciated this thank you!
Curious what your sources are for this quote -- “A lot of the edits we have to make are precise,” says Church, “and precision editing is not a healthy field yet.”
Why don't you talk about synthesizing entire chromosomes instead of genome editing?