Can We, Should We, and Will We Bring Back Mammoths? with Beth Shapiro

(0:18 - Introduction - Cristina Della Coletta, 5:34 - Introduction - John Evans, 8:19 - Introduction - Craig Callender, 12:33 - Main Presentation - Beth Shapiro, 49:21 - Audience Questions)
Beth Shapiro, Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz, explains her work on using ancient DNA to infer evolutionary history and processes. She is the MacArthur Award-winning author of "How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction," which considers the feasibility and desirability of bringing back passenger pigeons, steppe bison, mammoth and other currently extinct species. This program is presented by the Institute for Practical Ethics in the Division of Arts and Humanities at UC San Diego. [5/2018] [Show ID: 33419]

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[CaroLMilo-yzfk]

Eh.. 55 minutes 53 seconds and I'm still just trying to contain my *whimsical, raging urge* to push in favour of Mammoth breeding. Haha.

[Alex_Plante]

I haven't watched this yet, but I've always wondered who would teach mammoths how to behave like mammoths?

[erichusher]

We now have the ability to create a completely artificial womb in which to bring a mammoth embryo to term, or any other mammal, for that matter. The 'place for them to live' is Siberia, initially in Pleistocene Park, later throughout Siberia and Northern Canada, but that isn't the only place mammoths once lived (i.e. NOT 'just the mammoth steppe'). Mammoths lived everywhere from the extreme North, all the way down into Mexico, and everywhere in between. The permafrost doesn't just preserve 'dead mammoths, ' but mammoth dung as well, and with all of the micro-biota of the living mammoth gut. Yes, mammoths, like elephants, will have to learn how to live in their intended environment, probably requiring several generations, and that will be a difficult task to accomplish. Note; if you replace all of the relevant elephant genes with mammoth genes, it is no longer an elephant, but a mammoth. As for 'diversity, ' that ALSO can be engineered using gene samples from widely different time periods. Yes, doing our best to help existing, yet endangered creatures is certainly very important, but NONE of this is a 'zero sum' game, i.e. doing one thing does NOT preclude doing the other.

[Survivethejive]

Social good and benefits of humanity can only be defined by philosophers. Science has only the goal of knowledge

[conillet]

Absolutely brilliant talk by Ms. Shapiro.

[sunray]

it's nice to hear right kind of noises..

[KalifUmestoKalifa]

For the split second I thought the title read: Ben Shapiro I was really surprised by your speaker choice :-)

[Mrodriguez]

Awesome Lecture! Learning about these new emerging technologies in Genetics is extremely fascinating. Keep up the great work and keep us informed if you so happen to find a living mammoth cell >.<

[CaroLMilo-yzfk]

(Charming sensitivity behind that stress-for-responsibility campaign.) I realize, with abiding to evolution theories, their fear certainly isn't in doubting that all current living species already contain paleolithic-era genes. :)

Just as she says, it's more about realizing *this time* we are responsible for the change.😰

[bhanumavani]

M applying for mammoth hunting license....

[infocat]

This is kinda of like rewilding right ?

[sgrannie]

Placer mining good for science 👍 ... bad for environment 🙁

[redddbaron]

Perfect example of someone very well educated but not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. She asked and answered all the wrong questions and all her ethical so called points were so far out in left field as to be unusable actually. This is why people, always learn to think first, before trying to learn your studies at school. That education won't get you nearly as far unless you learn to think first.