America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast

In episode 15, Doug Parsons speaks with M.R. O’Connor, author of the book, “Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things.” De-extinction is exactly what you think it is: bringing back extinct species using modern technology. Think Jurassic Park, but looking at more recent extinctions like the Passenger Pigeon, Wooly Mammoth and the Tasmanian Tiger.  Our conversation, much like the book, is more than that though, we talk about environmental justice, ethics and the history of conservation biology.  Each chapter in the book covers a different species and the massive efforts we take to ensure their survival: these include a Tanzanian Spray Toad, the Florida Panther, Southwest pupfish, all the way to efforts to resurrect the Passenger Pigeon. We talk about the amazing and tragic history of the Passenger Pigeon and one scientist's efforts at bringing this species back into our lives.  Is it Frankenstein meets conservation? We dig into many of the topics from the book bu