Extinction is forever…right? Not anymore…..

On Wednesday, July 30, 2003 extinction was no longer forever. The Pyrenean ibex, also known as the bucardo, had been extinct since 2000. But on that momentous day scientists cloned the ibex using preserved tissue samples, resulting in the birth of a female ibex named Celia. Celia died 7 minutes after birth due to lung defects. 7 minutes may not seem like much – but remember the first Wright brothers flight lasted 12 seconds!

Many more “de-extinctions” are in the works as our scientific capabilities advance.  In my hometown of Dallas at Colossal BioSciences, scientists like George Church are working on techniques that can resurrect any extinct animal whose genome is known or can be reconstructed from fossil remains – including the woolly mammoth, passenger pigeon, and even Neanderthal man!  In Siberia at Pleistocene Park, a whole ecosystem is being prepared for the return of the wooly mammoth – which has been extinct for thousands of years!

Frozen zoos are now being maintained as repositories of DNA of extinct, rare or endangered species. There are 8,400 species at San Diego frozen zoo alone.

This is another example of God allowing humans to gain dramatic new influence and control over the future of life in all forms thru genetic manipulation.  How are Christians engaging as thought leaders in this epoch shift?

toodling and noodling, stan