The Quest to Resurrect the Dodo Bird: A Journey Through Art and Science

In a bold initiative, scientists are working to bring back the dodo bird, an extinct flightless bird that once roamed the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean until the late 17th century. The project involves incorporating advances in ancient DNA sequencing, gene editing technology, and synthetic biology to resurrect this iconic creature. But why is it so important to revive the dodo, and what does this endeavour entail?

The story of the dodo's demise is a cautionary tale about human impact on the environment. Sailors arriving on the island brought with them invasive species like rats and hunting practices, which quickly decimated the population. The dodo, with its lack of fear towards humans, was an easy target. This tragic event has become synonymous with extinction, making it the perfect subject for a scientific endeavour that aims to raise awareness about the current extinction crisis.

Lead paleogeneticist Beth Shapiro at Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology and genetic engineering start-up, is leading this ambitious project. Her team has already made significant progress by fully sequencing the dodo's genome from ancient DNA extracted from remains in Denmark. The next step involves comparing the genetic information with that of the dodo's closest bird relatives in the pigeon family, including the living Nicobar pigeon and the extinct Rodrigues solitaire.

The goal is to identify which mutations in the genome make a dodo a dodo, allowing scientists to narrow down the process of programming cells from a living relative of the dodo with the lost bird's DNA. This innovative approach has far-reaching implications for bird conservation and could potentially open up new techniques for preserving endangered species.

Shapiro emphasizes that it is our responsibility to bring attention to the extinction crisis, which is happening right now. By sharing this extraordinary project through art and science, scientists hope to motivate people to think about the impact of human activities on the environment and take action to prevent further extinctions.

The resurrection of the dodo bird would not only be a groundbreaking scientific achievement but also a poignant reminder of our role as stewards of the planet. By exploring the intersection of art and science in this endeavour, we can inspire a new generation of conservationists, genetic engineers, and scientists to join the fight against extinction.

Dodo bird extinct art