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Can We Revive Extinct Species Like the Dodo?

Dodos are an icon of extinction, but could we bring them back? We meet scientists working at every stage of the problem, from sequencing the genome to creating life.

Dodos are dead, but are they gone forever?

Reviving extinct species is a trope of science fiction, but real-life scientists are working on every stage of the problem today. Meeting scientists focused on uncovering ancient animal genomes, or reviving individual cells to conserve species still around, Marnie Chesterton seeks out whether new technologies might, just possibly, bring back the iconic dodo.

But what would it take to bring back that most iconic of extinct species? Following listener Rachel’s question, CrowdScience gets to grips with the dodo’s past, and finds out what’s left of this iconic bird, meeting the scientists inadvertently piecing it back together.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producer: Rory Galloway

Picture: An accurate reconstruction of nesting Dodos
Photo Credit: Dr Julian Hume

Available now

33 minutes

Last on

Tue 5 Dec 2017 03:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 1 Dec 2017 20:32GMT
  • Fri 1 Dec 2017 21:32GMT
  • Sat 2 Dec 2017 00:32GMT
  • Mon 4 Dec 2017 05:32GMT
  • Mon 4 Dec 2017 07:32GMT
  • Mon 4 Dec 2017 15:32GMT
  • Mon 4 Dec 2017 18:32GMT
  • Tue 5 Dec 2017 03:32GMT

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