March 19, 2013

As cloning technologies improve, the odds of reversing extinction continue to grow. Reviving the passenger pigeon, extinct since 1914, now appears to be a distinct possibility. But a larger question remains, namely how will these “extinction clones” survive in the modern world? If the goal is to make them zoo exhibits, then a few passenger…

July 9, 2012

In 1627, the last of the aurochs, which was the predecessor of domestic cattle, died in Poland’s Jaktorów Forest. Now, a group of scientists hope to, in a manner of speaking, bring the aurochs back from extinction. How is this possible? The Aurochs The aurochs once inhabited Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They were herbivores. Bulls stood…

May 15, 2012

Some 13,000 years ago, gigantic animals roamed what is now the United States. Is it not enough to mourn the loss of these animals? Should we attempt to “resurrect” them via programs like the Pleistocene Rewilding? What is the Pleistocene Rewilding? The Pleistocene Rewilding concept was the brainchild of a geoscientist named Paul S. Martin….

April 20, 2012

The Balance of Nature theory states that an ecological system, if left to its own devices, will essentially self-correct. In other words, if nature gets out of whack, it’ll eventually fix itself. It’s a popular theory, believed by practically everyone…except for ecologists that is. The Mythical Balance of Nature? “This concept of natural equilibrium long ruled…

March 5, 2012

In 1920, the last of the “tree lobster” insects seemingly vanished into the dustbin of history. However, unbeknownst to modern science, a small colony of these hand-sized insects managed to survive…on an 1,844 foot tall rock pyramid…in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Ball’s Pyramid: The Home of the Last Tree Lobsters? This isolated rock…