The Earth is losÂing life forms at a disÂturbÂing rate. The biolÂoÂgist Edward O. WilÂson has estiÂmatÂed that at least 27,000 species per year are disÂapÂpearÂing from our planÂet. That’s an averÂage of 74 species a day, or three every hour. Researchers warn that if we stay on this track, the Earth will enter its sixth mass extincÂtion–the first since the one that killed off the dinosaurs.
With aniÂmal and plant habiÂtats being crowdÂed out by a human popÂuÂlaÂtion that has passed the 7 bilÂlion mark and is growÂing at a rate of 70 milÂlion peoÂple per year, sciÂenÂtists attemptÂing to stem the tide of extincÂtion have their work cut out for them. The vast majorÂiÂty of efforts, of course, are aimed at preÂservÂing endanÂgered species and makÂing sure more species do not become endanÂgered. But one man is spearÂheadÂing a bold project to actuÂalÂly bring back species we have already lost.
StewÂart Brand first came to notoÂriÂety in the 1960s, as one of Ken Kesey’s MerÂry Pranksters and as the creÂator of the Whole Earth CatÂaÂlog. In 1996 he co-foundÂed the Long Now FounÂdaÂtion, dedÂiÂcatÂed to fosÂterÂing long-term thinkÂing in our accelÂerÂatÂing culÂture, with its “pathoÂlogÂiÂcalÂly short attenÂtion span.” One of Brand’s pet projects at Long Now is Revive & Restore, a proÂgram to coorÂdiÂnate genetÂic research into bringÂing back presentÂly extinct species. Brand spoke about the project (see above) on FebÂruÂary 27 at a TED conÂferÂence in Long Beach, CalÂiÂforÂnia.
Revive & Restore’s first project is to bring back the pasÂsenÂger pigeon, a bird that died off in 1914 but was once so abunÂdant that migraÂtoÂry flocks in North AmerÂiÂca would darkÂen the sky. The pasÂsenÂger pigeon was choÂsen as the iniÂtial project because it is betÂter-known than many extinct species and because the bird’s DNA (takÂen from museÂum specÂiÂmens) has already been sequenced. But Brand promisÂes that the pasÂsenÂger pigeon is only the beginÂning. “The fact is,” he says, “humans have made a huge hole in nature in the last 10,000 years. We have the abilÂiÂty now, and maybe the moral obligÂaÂtion, to repair some of the damÂage.”
PasÂsenÂger Pigeon (Ectopistes migraÂtoÂrius) by John James Audubon, 1824. WaterÂcolÂor, pasÂtel, graphite, gouache, black chalk and black ink on paper. The image depicts a behavÂior known as “billing,” in which one bird shares food by regurÂgiÂtatÂing it into the bill of anothÂer. The male, with it’s more colÂorÂful plumage, is shown standÂing on the lowÂer branch, with the female up above.
Its a gramÂmatÂiÂcal error in the capÂtion thats realÂly irriÂtatÂing
halfway through the TED talk I realÂized that this chap is googÂley-eyed lost in the sciÂence! and the audiÂence thinks that being able to play with life like this is comÂiÂcal. synÂthetÂic biolÂoÂgy is not conÂserÂvaÂtion biolÂoÂgy… ForÂget about the issues of cloning, genetÂic modÂiÂfiÂcaÂtion… what is the point of bringÂing back fulÂly EXTINCT species when huntÂing, habiÂtat destrucÂtion, polÂluÂtion and cliÂmate change, I repeat cliÂmate change, are still quite the realÂiÂty? Yes, capÂtive breedÂing, proÂtectÂed areas, local comÂmuÂniÂty colÂlabÂoÂraÂtions, good news marÂketÂing… the quesÂtion he is realÂly askÂing is not “do you want extinct species back?” but “do you want us to clone and genetÂiÂcalÂly modÂiÂfy extinct species and release them into the wild?” What are the conÂseÂquences? Do we know?
Good points, Georgina.