Will biotechnology recreate extinct species ?

A white pup presented as a dire wolf, promises of mammoths roaming by 2028 and dodos in Mauritian forests : resurrecting species fires the imagination. But what really lies behind these announcements ? This mini book, published in the NOUVEAUX HORIZONS series by Five Minutes, deciphers de extinction technologies and rigorously analyses their limits, hopes and pitfalls.

Drawing on recent sources (2024 2026), the author recounts the story of the first cloned ibexes and ferrets, explains how CRISPR and back breeding work, and explores Colossal Biosciences' flagship projects : mammoths, thylacines, dodos and dire wolves. She emphasises that ancient DNA is incomplete and that the animals produced by these programmes are hybrids intended to perform an ecological function rather than faithfully restore a species. The text then addresses ethical issues (animal welfare, invasion risks), moral hazard and the need for robust legal frameworks.

Will biotechnology recreate extinct species ? offers an accessible, incisive synthesis for understanding this fascinating debate and questioning our conservation priorities. An essential work for anyone wishing to discover what science can-and cannot-do for biodiversity.