For decades, the scientific world has wondered about the possibility of bringing extinct species back to life. Today, this idea is getting closer to reality with the audacious project of resurrecting the Tasmanian tigera predator that has been extinct for almost a century. This ambitious project, led by the American company Colossal Biosciences, promises to revolutionize our understanding of the biology and conservation of species.
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An extinct but essential predator
The Tasmanian tigeralso known as the thylacine, was a marsupial mammal that played a crucial role in its ecosystem. Its disappearance in 1936 had significant repercussions on the balance of its natural habitat.
This predator was essential for controlling populations of non-native species and thus limiting the spread of certain diseases. Intensive hunting and destruction of its habitat by humans led to its extinction, leaving an ecological void that some researchers hope to fill.
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The promise of genetics
The company Colossal Biosciences announced that it had reconstituted 99.9% of the thylacine genome. This impressive advance is based on exceptionally well-preserved DNA samples, making it possible to recover fragments of several thousand bases.
Researcher Andrew Pask revealed that these samples came from a specimen discovered at the Victoria Museum in Melbourne, Australia. Thanks to these preserved sequences, scientists can consider implanting the genome into an egg cell of a related species that is still alive.
An ambitious project in the spotlight
The thylacine reintroduction process involves using a surrogate mother to give birth to a “thylacine-like being”. According to experts, this feat could be achieved within three to five years.
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This project is not limited to thylacine. Colossal Biosciences is also working on the reintroduction of other iconic extinct species such as the woolly mammoth and the dodo. These efforts raise important ethical and scientific questions.
| ???? Tasmanian Tiger | Possibility of bringing back this extinct species thanks to genetics |
| ???? Genome | 99.9% reconstruction of the thylacine genome |
| ???? Debates | Ethical questions about reintroducing extinct species |
Challenges and hopes
Despite the excitement generated by these findings, some conservationists remain skeptical. They say efforts should focus on protecting species currently threatened with extinction.
Others highlight the difficulties in recreating a viable population of thylacines and question the behavior of these animals in our modern world. The challenges are numerous, but the hope of bringing these lost species back to life remains.
As we venture into this new era of biotechnology, can we truly harness the power to resurrect extinct species?
