de-extinction
Reviving lost creatures
De-extinction is the effort to revive extinct species through genetic engineering, selective breeding, or cloning.
Scientists might use preserved DNA to resurrect the woolly mammoth or passenger pigeon.
The term captures both the reversal implied by the prefix and the ambitious—some say hubristic—goal: De-extinction raises ethical questions about playing God.
Also written deextinction.
Making identical copies
- CRISPRGene-editing molecular machinery
- genomeOrganism's total hereditary material
- DNAHereditary code molecule
- sequencingDetermining element order
Extinct elephant with curved tusks
- dodoVanished flightless bird
- thylacineExtinct Australian striped marsupial
- aurochsExtinct wild cattle species
- quaggaPartially striped extinct zebra
moa · megafauna · Pleistocene · fossils · amber · taxidermy · subfossil
Revival from death
- de-extinctedRestored from total loss
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- restorationReturning something to condition
- reanimationRestoration of life
Moral philosophy for medicine
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- anthropocentrismBelief prioritizing human significance
Restoring natural ecosystems
- reintroductionAct of bringing back
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
cloning
Making identical copies
- CRISPRGene-editing molecular machinery
- genomeOrganism's total hereditary material
- DNAHereditary code molecule
sequencing · bioengineering · biobanking · in-vitro · hybridization
mammoth
Extinct elephant with curved tusks
- dodoVanished flightless bird
- thylacineExtinct Australian striped marsupial
- aurochsExtinct wild cattle species
quagga · moa · megafauna · Pleistocene · fossils · amber · taxidermy · subfossil
resurrection
Revival from death
- de-extinctedRestored from total loss
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- restorationReturning something to condition
reanimation · comeback · re-emergence · living-fossil · rediscovery
bioethics
Moral philosophy for medicine
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
anthropocentrism · interventionism · prioritization · suffering · authenticity
rewilding
Restoring natural ecosystems
- reintroductionAct of bringing back
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- extinctiondodo, died out, passenger pigeon, Tasmanian tiger, thylacine
de-extinctionextinction
Complete vanishing of a species
extirpation · species loss · mass extinction · terminal decline · population collapse
de-extinctionpreservation
Maintaining something's condition
conservation · letting nature take its course · non-intervention · rewilding · species protection
de-extinctioneradication
Total elimination of something
extermination · habitat destruction · overhunting · biocide · poaching