The Americans have announced that they have brought back to life a dire wolf that lived during the Ice Age. Or, more precisely, they have created a hybrid — a cross between a gray wolf and an ancient dire wolf.
This was made possible by two things. First, the genome of the dire wolf has been successfully determined from fossil material. And second, the general advancement of methods for modifying the DNA of living organisms.
The case is the first of its kind and particularly interesting because the animal species in question is not actually very closely related to the wolf. Instead, it belongs to an entirely different genus within the canine family. Thus, quite a lot of genetic modifications had to be made, and the resulting animals may not — or even likely will not — behave like the original dire wolves.
It remains to be seen what will happen to these hybrid animals in the future. Will they become free predators roaming the North American wilderness, or — as I rather suspect — exhibition pieces harnessed for profit in zoos or even in some kind of traveling shows? It will also be interesting to see whether this revival of the dire wolf will be followed by attempts to bring back other extinct creatures, like mammoths or thylacines.
One thing is certain, however: the creation of these animals will spark lively debate about the ethics of science. And there is little doubt that the most heated discussions will center around humanity’s own relatives.
After all, with the methods that have now been successfully used, it is possible — at least in theory — to also bring back extinct human species. Such as Neanderthals, Denisovans, or even Homo erectus.
If that were to happen, difficult questions would arise. For example, regarding whether they should be granted the same human and civil rights as everyone else.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Historical Merging of Human Groups
Number of Predators is Increasing in Russia
African female and Persian male ancestors
In my understanding, the chimpanzee is having the DNA 99% the same as the Homo Sapiens and chimpanzees are not having human rights as of now yet. So how much over 99% should the conformity to be is up to for decision.
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