NOVA Presents De-Extinction: A How-To Guide | Beth Shapiro
Nov 19, 2025
Beth Shapiro, an ancient DNA scientist and Chief Science Officer at Colossal, shares her insights on de-extinction and genome sequencing. She reveals how her team is working to bring back traits of the extinct dire wolf, clarifying that real science is far from the fiction of Jurassic Park. Beth discusses the ethical considerations, the use of CRISPR for genome editing, and how ancient genomes guide their strategies. Her exciting revelations about restoring ecosystems and protecting biodiversity make for a thought-provoking conversation.
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De-Extinction Focuses On Ecology And Welfare
- De-extinction aims to recreate extinct traits so organisms can thrive in modern habitats and restore ecological interactions.
- Beth Shapiro emphasizes welfare and ecological resilience as central goals of de-extinction efforts.
Smashing Amber For Ancient DNA
- Beth Shapiro recounts trying to extract DNA from insects in amber and smashing amber with a sledgehammer after freezing it.
- She concluded amber yields poor long-term DNA preservation, contradicting popular dinosaur-in-amber myths.
No DNA From Dinosaurs Or Amber
- Dinosaur DNA cannot be recovered because DNA does not survive the tens of millions of years since their extinction.
- The oldest DNA recovered comes from permafrost-preserved mammoth bones, not amber-entombed insects.
