Brittany Schmidt, a NASA astrobiologist on the Europa Clipper mission, joins Ben Lam, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, and Tori Herridge, an expert on mammoths. They dive into the fascinating realm of de-extinction, focusing on the potential resurrection of woolly mammoths. The discussion touches on the ethical and ecological implications of bringing back extinct species. Additionally, insights on the Europa Clipper's quest for signs of extraterrestrial life highlight the intersection between space exploration and life beyond Earth.
Colossal Biosciences is pursuing the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth through genetic engineering, sparking ethical debates on conservation priorities.
NASA's Europa Clipper mission seeks to explore Jupiter's moon Europa for signs of life, utilizing advanced instruments to study its icy surface and subsurface ocean.
Deep dives
Exploring Europa's Habitability
NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission aims to explore Europa, a moon of Jupiter, to assess its potential for life. The spacecraft will conduct close passes to investigate the moon's icy surface and the ocean beneath, which is crucial for understanding its habitability. Scientists plan to use various instruments, including cameras and ice-penetrating radar, to study the ocean's properties and how the icy crust changes over time. This mission represents an important step in planetary exploration, building on historical studies that date back to Galileo.
The Woolly Mammoth De-Extinction Efforts
Colossal Biosciences claims to be working on de-extincting the woolly mammoth using synthetic biology and genetic engineering techniques. This process involves identifying genes responsible for the mammoth's features and engineering them into Asian elephant cells to create a hybrid species that can adapt to colder climates. While the company's CEO expresses confidence in achieving a living mammoth by 2028, concerns remain regarding the ethical implications and the potential risks associated with using endangered species as surrogates. Experts debate whether the excitement surrounding mammoth resurrection diverts attention from pressing conservation issues facing current elephant populations.
Nobel Prize Trends and Gender Disparity
The latest Nobel Prize announcements have intensified discussions about gender representation among winners, as no women were recognized this year despite significant achievements in science. Analysis indicates that most winners are men, predominantly of a certain age, and tend to have connections to previous laureates, revealing a network effect in nominations. The data suggests that while the Nobel Prizes celebrate important scientific contributions, they may not adequately reflect the current landscape of collaborative and diverse research. This raises questions about the relevance of the awards and the need for potential reform to capture a broader spectrum of scientific excellence.