| Summary: | What happens when you try to recreate a woolly mammoth--fascinating science, or conservation catastrophe? In Rise of the Necrofauna, Britt Wray takes us deep into the minds and labs of some of the world's most progressive thinkers to find out the truth about de-extinction. She introduces us to renowned futurists like Stewart Brand and scientists like George Church, who are harnessing the powers of CRISPR gene editing in the hopes of "reviving" extinct passenger pigeons, woolly mammoths, and heath hens. But we also hear from more cautionary voices, like those of researcher and award-winning author Beth Shapiro and environmental philosopher Thomas van Dooren. Through conversations with these and other thought leaders, Wray reminds us that de-extinction could bring just as many dangers as it does possibilities. What happens, for example, when we bring an "unextinct" creature back into the wild? How can we care for these strange animals and ensure their comfort and safety--not to mention our own and that of other creatures? By unpacking the many biological, technological, ethical, environmental, and legal questions raised by this fascinating new field, Wray offers a captivating look at the best and worst of resurrection science.
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