Nice Genes! Genomic Repeat: The Devil’s In the Details - The Importance of Biodiversity
The Importance of Biodiversity
Description:
This episode was originally released on October 31, 2022
Conservation is often about protecting the species that still wander around our Earth. But what about those that once did but have gone extinct? In this Halloween-inspired episode, we take a look into how one spooky idea has gone from science fiction to science fact, de-extinction style.
Dr. Kaylee Byers takes us to the upside-down world of wild animals in Australia. She sits down with Dr. Axel Newton whose research addresses how to resurrect a species that has been extinct for nearly a century. Also joining her is Dr. Carolyn Hogg who uses the latest genomic technology to understand the impacts of reintroducing endangered species into their native habitats. In this wacky tale of resurrection and 'devils' will the spirit of scientific discovery mean incredible changes for the future, or is a line being crossed that we can't come back from?
References:
2. Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab (TIGRR Lab) | The University of Melbourne
3. Thylacine: How we plan to de-extinct the Tasmanian tiger | Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences
4. Extinction of thylacine | National Museum Australia
5. A year after Australia's wildfires, extinction threatens hundreds of species | Science News
6. Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems | Science News
7. Park Conscious | U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
8. Endangered Tasmanian devils insured against future threats | The University of Sydney
9. The 9 Steps to De-Extincting Australia's Thylacine | The University of Melbourne