The Earth has seen the evolution of millions of species over thousands of years. That is how we humans evolved from a species of monkeys. It may sound crazy, but evolution is indeed an insightful concept that sheds light on our past, present, and future.
Many animals have survived through obstacles that nature has presented them with. That has enabled some species to survive for millions of years, even before the evolution of human beings. The oldest living species, the cyanobacteria, is said to have existed for over 2.1 billion years.
However, most species are wiped out by natural causes, such as extinction-level events, human poaching, hunting, and other natural factors. One such animal that has faced extinction is the dire wolf. The dire wolf is a species of predator that roamed the Americas 125,000 years ago. These species of wolves were much stronger than present-day wolves, with stronger jaws and active hunting skills. This enabled such species to hunt larger animals such as bison, horses, and so on.
The species of dire wolves eventually went extinct during the Quaternary extinction event around 12,500 years ago. The Quaternary extinction event led to the demise of fifty-seven species, which included the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf. This extinction event paved the way for humans to evolve and hunt. This period saw climate change that led to the disappearance of many primary herbivores, which were prey for the dire wolves. The loss of such prey species and competition from other predators led to the decline of these species.
All the dire wolf species went extinct. Like most other species, it was thought that these species could never be brought back from extinction. However, due to a ground-breaking discovery, scientists at Colossal Biosciences, a U.S.-based company, have managed to bring the species of dire wolf back from extinction using gene editing of grey wolves. Three pups – Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi – were brought into the world, exhibiting very similar properties to the original dire wolf by modifying the DNA of grey wolves, with the help of genetic engineering.
Genome editing, as complex as it may sound, is quite an interesting subject. As the name suggests, gene editing enables scientists to change and alter the DNA of any living species, which allows us to make changes in our characteristics and traits.
Scientists were able to study the DNA of dire wolves from fossils that were left over for thousands of years. In their research, they saw many similarities between the DNA of present-day grey wolves and dire wolves. Through genetic engineering, they were able to alter the mismatching DNA of the grey wolves to create the dire wolves. These dire wolves have unique howl sounds that are distinct from the sounds of current-day wolves. They are now being grown securely in an ecological preserve.
However, such genetic engineering comes with ethical issues as well. Improvements in animal gene editing can pave the way for human gene editing as well. In the future, parents could choose traits like intelligence, athleticism, or physical appearance, leading to a society where genetic enhancements become a privilege of the wealthy. This creates genetic inequality among people. This could lead to a future where genome editing creates societal biases and prejudices, favoring certain groups over others and creating inequalities.
Experts condemn bringing back such extinct species since they strongly believe that these are only grey wolves, modified to give dire wolf traits. Hence, they are not entirely dire wolves brought back from extinction. There are also concerns over bringing back such animals, their welfare, and other natural factors that accompany gene editing.
Gene editing holds many promises, offering cures for diseases and bringing back animals from extinction. However, the ethical challenges that it accompanies must be handled with caution. While it showcases advancements in gene editing, it also prompts a need for conservation. This technology must be approached with care, with both the need to make more advancements while keeping ethical issues in check.
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