3Qs: The ethics of species 'de-extinction'
Monday, March 25, 2013 - 09:01
in Biology & Nature
Scientists are closing in on the capacity to clone extinct species using biotechnology and DNA samples from the ancient past, a process that is called "de-extinction." The prospect of bringing back extinct species was discussed last week at a conference hosted by National Geographic and TEDx, in which many conservationists, geneticists, and biotechnologists supported the idea. We asked Ronald Sandler, a professor of philosophy at Northeastern and author of the new book The Ethics of Species, to share his take on what has been described as the "mind-blowing idea of the year."