Particle Data Platform
The Wild with Chris Morgan

Back to the future: Genetically modified wildlife

2/10/202655 min

De-extinction! You probably saw the headlines - big, splashy statements about bringing the dire wolf - the ancient wolf species - back from the dead. But are they really back?

Dr. Helen Pilcher says no. She’s an author, science communicator and an expert on genetically modified wildlife. And she joins me to make sense of this controversial idea of “editing” the genes of animals.

It’s a heated conversation in the scientific community. Because it's not just about bringing back animals from the dead, it's about changing the genetic makeup of animals that still exist. <...

Clips

Not A Dire Wolf
Red Wolf Rescue Breakthrough
Gene Drives’ Double-Edged Sword
Mosquito Test Crashes Population
Why It’s Worth It
Disappearing Pythons Proposal
From Jellyfish To Pet Fish

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 10:00

    You know, every day on Up First, NPR's Golden Globe-nominated morning news podcast, we bring you three essential stories. At the heart of each story are questions. What really happened? What really mattered? What happens next? At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious and to follow the facts. Follow Up First wherever you get your podcasts and start your day knowing what matters and why.

  2. Chris Morgan· Host0:22

    Hi, wild listeners. Before we get started with this non-genetically modified episode, [chuckles] I want to quickly let you know about our Patreon, our place for special bonus content, videos from my travels, extended interviews from our favorite guests, and a lot more. You can find the link in the show notes. I hope you can join us. Enjoy the show. [gentle music] De-extinction. You probably saw the headlines, big splashy statements about bringing an ancient wolf species back from the dead.

  3. Scott Greenstone0:58

    Thirteen thousand years after the last dire wolf walked the Earth, scientists say they've now brought them back.

  4. Brandy Fullwood1:05

    [dire wolves howling] That animal looks like a dire wolf, it will behave like a dire wolf, and it is a dire wolf.

  5. Chris Morgan· Host1:15

    The dire wolf, huge stocky canids from the last Ice Age, and Game of Thrones, of course. Massive jaws, sharp teeth, ancestors of the gray wolf, brought back from extinction using genetic

We value your privacy

We use cookies to understand how you use our platform and to improve your experience. Click "Accept All" to consent, or "Decline non-essential" to opt out of non-essential cookies. Read our Privacy Policy.