The recent trend for resurrecting extinct animals has made headlines globally and sparked controversy over the validity of the claims being made and the approach taken to reporting them. But, the bigger question should be, is this work ethical? And what if similar work was to be used to replicate features of historically distant human and hominid ancestors?
Much publicity accompanied the announcement by the Dallas-based biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences, that it had successfully ‘de-extincted’ dire wolves and has plans to do so for other species. However, once the actual genetic techniques involved are examined, the claims of species de-extinction are far from credible. What has been done and is being planned is actually the creation of hybrids somewhat akin to but far from identical to extinct animal species. Still, despite the inability to actually de-extinct any species, private efforts to modify ancient DNA in the name of de-extinction are likely to continue.
Although such efforts are currently only theoretical, the decision about de-extincting or, more accurately, partially reconstructing, human ancestors needs to be addressed now before any effort is made. Ancient hominid de-extinction should not be left in the hands of private, closely held, for-profit companies. Whether an effort at ancient hominid partial recreation is justified should be debated and regulated by an international body with the power to hold public debates, offer independent risk assessments, and insist on standards for undertaking such experiments and protection for any potential surrogates involved.
The de-extinction of human predecessors could be undertaken at any time by private entitities. Given how recent efforts have been overly hyped, lack a persuasive rationale, have had little independent peer review, and have taken place with unethical indifference to animal welfare, this seems highly undesirable.
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