Ben Lamm16 September 2023

The Man Bringing Extinct Creatures Back To Life - Ben Lamm - #681

0Frameworks

10Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 2

Myth Buster03:00

Mammoths Are Closer to Asian Elephants Than African Ones

Contrary to popular belief, woolly mammoths are genetically closer to Asian elephants than African elephants are to each other. This surprising fact is key to current de-extinction efforts.

Woolly mammoths share more DNA with Asian elephants than African elephants do with Asian elephants.
This genetic closeness makes Asian elephants the ideal surrogate species.
The discovery reshapes how scientists approach mammoth de-extinction.

“Mammoths are actually closer related to Asian elephants than Asian elephants are to African elephants, which is like, that blew my mind when I learned…”
Ben Lamm · 03:00

#mammoth#elephant#genetics#evolution

Myth Buster02:00

The Dodo Was Just a Flightless Pigeon

The dodo wasn't a unique bird species but a flightless pigeon. De-extinction efforts focus on reviving the genes that made it distinct, such as its size and flightlessness, rather than creating a completely new animal.

Dodos were a type of flightless pigeon, not a separate bird family.
De-extinction targets the genes responsible for unique traits like size and flightlessness.
Critics who dismiss dodo revival as 'just a pigeon' misunderstand evolutionary relationships.

“I hated to inform them that a dodo was a silly-looking pigeon. Dodos were pigeons.”
Ben Lamm · 02:05

#dodo#evolution#birds#de-extinction

Hot Take· 1

Hot Take47:30

Elephants Are Nature's Farmers

Elephants play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystems by knocking down trees, fertilizing soil, and promoting grassland growth—making them natural ecosystem engineers.

Elephants knock down trees, which helps maintain grasslands.
Their dung spreads seeds and fertilizes soil.
They compact soil, allowing cooler air to penetrate and lower ground temperatures.
They're essential for restoring biodiversity in rewilding projects.

“I realized that elephants are basically nature's farmers in a way.”
Host · 48:30

“You're 100% spot on.”
Ben Lamm · 48:30

#elephant#ecosystem-engineering#rewilding#conservation

Explainer· 3

Explainer01:30

What Is De-Extinction, Really?

De-extinction isn't about cloning extinct animals exactly as they were, but about reviving core genes to create proxy species that can fill lost ecological roles. The goal is to restore biodiversity and use the technology for broader conservation.

De-extinction means reviving core genes to build proxy species, not perfect clones.
It applies to species lost due to climate change or human activity.
The focus is on restoring ecosystems, like the Arctic tundra, using genetic technology.
Technologies developed are also used for preserving endangered species today.

“We're bringing back these lost species to increase biodiversity and then we're using all those technologies for conservation, which is pretty cool.”
Ben Lamm · 02:20

#de-extinction#conservation#genetics#biodiversity

Explainer05:00

How Ancient DNA Is Recovered From Permafrost

Scientists extract ancient DNA from well-preserved remains in permafrost, including flesh, hair, and bones. Teeth and the petrous bone are especially good sources due to high DNA density and protection from degradation.

Permafrost preserves animal remains, allowing recovery of ancient DNA.
Teeth and the petrous bone in the inner ear are ideal for DNA extraction.
Cold, dry environments slow DNA degradation, making older samples viable.
Samples are collected during expeditions resembling a mix of science and adventure.

“There's tons of preserved species up in the permafrost... sometimes you get actual flesh, actual hairs, actual meat.”
Ben Lamm · 05:40

#dna#permafrost#ancient-dna#genomics

Explainer40:00

Why Elephants Rarely Get Cancer

Elephants have multiple copies of the P53 gene, which helps regulate cell division and prevent cancer. This genetic trait is being studied for potential human medical applications.

Elephants have seven copies of the P53 gene, while humans have one.
P53 helps prevent cancer by detecting and repairing DNA damage.
Despite their size, elephants have lower cancer rates than expected.
Studying this could lead to breakthroughs in human cancer prevention.

“Elephants get cancer a fraction of what they should... It is believed that a lot of that is due to P53.”
Ben Lamm · 40:30

#p53#cancer#elephant#genetics

Story· 1

Story35:00

Bringing Back the Thylacine to Save the Tasmanian Devil

The thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, could help control the spread of a contagious facial tumor disease in Tasmanian devils by preying on the weak and sick, restoring balance to the ecosystem.

The thylacine was the largest apex predator in Tasmania.
Its extinction removed natural predation on weak or sick animals.
Tasmanian devils now spread facial tumors during feeding frenzies.
Reintroducing thylacines could thin out diseased populations and restore ecological balance.

“If the thylacine is around... they would most likely thin out a lot of those animals that can't walk very well or see very well…”
Ben Lamm · 36:30

#thylacine#tasmanian-devil#ecosystem-restoration#rewilding

Q&A· 1

Q&A24:00

Why the Mammoth Might Not Be First to Return

Despite being the flagship project, the woolly mammoth may not be the first de-extinct species due to its 22-month gestation period. Other species with shorter development times could beat it to revival.

Mammoths have a 22-month gestation, making breeding slow and complex.
The thylacine, in contrast, has only a 13.5-day gestation period.
This makes the thylacine a faster candidate for de-extinction despite technical hurdles.
The mammoth could be 'pip[ed] at the post' by other species.

“Due to the 22-month gestation, I think it's highly likely there will be another species... It's going to start off on the race first and…”
Ben Lamm · 24:30

#mammoth#thylacine#gestation#de-extinction-timeline

Tool· 1

Tool50:00

Artificial Wombs Could Scale De-Extinction

Colossal is developing artificial womb technology to bypass the long gestation of elephants and scale up de-extinction efforts without relying on surrogates.

Artificial wombs could eliminate the need for elephant surrogates.
The technology addresses engineering, not scientific, challenges.
It could revolutionize conservation by enabling mass breeding of endangered species.
Long-term goal: produce many mammoths in controlled facilities.

“We have an ex-utero development or artificial womb team... I do think that there's no major science gates there. It's just engineering challenges.”
Ben Lamm · 50:30

#artificial-womb#de-extinction#conservation#biotechnology

Takeaway· 1

Takeaway33:30

The Dodo as a Symbol of Human-Caused Extinction

Reviving the dodo isn't just about the bird itself—it's a symbolic act that forces humanity to confront its role in extinction and drives ecosystem restoration by removing invasive species.

The dodo is a powerful symbol of human-caused extinction.
Its revival requires removing invasive species like rats and pigs.
This process restores ecosystems and benefits other native species.
It's a psychological tool to engage governments and the public in conservation.

“Bringing back the dodo... will force us and the Mauritian government... on removing the invasive species that actually led to the dodo's extinction.”
Ben Lamm · 34:00

#dodo#symbolism#conservation#human-impact