Celebrities invest millions to revive the dodo: a risky endeavor

In recent developments, a Texas-based startup named Colossal Biosciences is attempting to revive the extinct dodo bird, a species that became a symbol of human-induced extinction. This initiative has attracted significant financial backing, including a $10 million investment from filmmaker Peter Jackson and producer Fran Walsh. The lead palaeogeneticist, Beth Shapiro, has been passionate about the dodo since encountering a preserved specimen in 1999, which sparked her interest in extracting its DNA. While the revival of extinct species poses numerous scientific challenges, the project aims to generate public interest and funding for broader conservation efforts. Critics, however, express skepticism about the feasibility and ethical implications of such endeavors, drawing parallels to the fictional narrative of Jurassic Park. The co-founder of Colossal, Ben Lamm, acknowledges the dodo's status as a symbol of extinction, suggesting that reviving it could serve as a cautionary tale about human hubris in conservation efforts. As the project progresses, it raises important questions about the role of celebrity influence in scientific research and the potential consequences of attempting to bring back species that have long been extinct.