I wouldn't call it de-extinction unless they made something that is 100% identical genetically to the thing they are bringing back.
this post was submitted on 13 Apr 2025
525 points (96.8% liked)
Science Memes
14188 readers
1604 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
And they don't have 100% of the dire wolf DNA sequenced, nor do they have DNA of the dire wolf's extinct ancestor between it and Canis lupus. It's a grey wolf with genes from a dire wolf added in.
Aaand they do not have mtDNA.
or like, actually looks like what we think they looked, rather than what was depicted in a fictional story
de-extinction ≈ decompilation, apparently
Does that make extinction a form of obfuscation?
Also, what is the game plan here? To sell GMO exhibits to zoos? To try to do a Jurassic Park, but without dinosaurs?
Gattaca
This is exactly it. This is just training for children customisation.
Yeah everyone is asking what they are going to do with these animals they create and the answer is nothing once they get good enough at it to do it to humans lmao
Releasing wolves in Yellowstone stabilised the ecosystem there. Releasing direwolves on Wall St might stabilise the economy.
The wolves of wall street?
I'd watch that
Might need to make the location change to Pennsylvania Ave for a greater effect.
In an ideal world, it'd be to de-extinct fairly modern things that filled a niche that is no longer being filled. This is far from an ideal world though, and the reason in this world is to make press releases to get people talking about it so they can raise more money while not creating anything of actual value.
Okay let's play that out... Everyone gets excited, they make big strong wolves and get funding... Now what?
They've got a pack of extra big wolves raised under human care. Do they kill them? Do they sell them? Do they open their own park? Do they just keep them for study? Do they just leave the gate open and let them go?
I don't think you read my comment. They wouldn't bring back dire wolves that don't have a niche in the current ecosystem. They'd bring back things that have gone extinct in the last century or so, or maybe artificially modify existing creatures to fit niches that are no longer filled. This project isn't doing what would happen in an ideal world. It's only making garbage to sell to investors to make a bunch of money and bail.
I understand that, but the wolves are living things that require expert care. This isn't some cat they can take home or some mouse they can quietly put down... They're stuck with them
If they kill them, they'd get death threats (people are already attached). If the wolves escape, they'd get protesters. People will likely come to try to see the wolves, the wolves will try to escape and become extra aggressive if they're understimulated
Good PR stunts don't require you to run a zoo for the next 14 years - and whether they allow guests or not, they'll need a team of people, including round the clock security, to take care of them
So unless they can sell them to someone, every success they have pushes them further into becoming Jurassic Park, but with less cool animals
Probably start with one or a few cool scientists with that original purpose, then by the time it can take life it's gone through the enshittification machine.
They are making game of thrones real. Lots of whores and titties, big ass wolves, religious cults taking over government, zombies, crucifixions, people being eaten by dragons.
No incest? :(
Be the change you wanna see in the world.
I just watched some youtube video and they were talking about how the CIA and big moneys people are heavily invested in this company. Makes me think they're in it to make genetically modified animals or even people for "national security" or something.
National security? Nah, those ghouls want to live forever.
The point is to get people excited so they can get funding to keep developing the technologies that will make this kind of genetic engineering commercially viable
Sure... But now they've got these wolves for the next 14 years
They can't "reextinct" dire wolves or release them, so they're now in the zoo business one way or the other
To say they did?
And now they have a pack of XL sized wolves... That's not like making a glow in the dark cat, that's either the main plan or a very big problem
Nah that's a great way to start a conversation
Haha ... but seriously ... does it? I don't think so. Now if they brought back that rhino species that just went extinct that would count.
Would they be able to do it with god-like perfection, or would it only be a grey wolf that resembles our idea of dire wolves based only on what we've been able to learn?
Same question: If a species evolves to adapt to a changed environment, is the original species extinct?
Yes, yes it is. That’s why a species ‘going extinct’ doesn’t always mean that it suddenly died off.
I think the term for that is chronospecies?
Love this one
They did have the genome, right? Why not just clone that? They could then add mutations in the amount that normally occurs in grey wolf populations to get a sufficiently diverse population going.
Fill in the gaps with frog DNA
"It's okay, they can't breed in captivity. They're all female."
Frog DNA: "Not so fast...."
Extantion