An entrepreneur’s radical Tasmanian Tiger plan could undo “sins” of the past

For thousands of years, humanity has wiped out other species to advance its own interests – think of the Neanderthals in Europe and the dodos in Mauritius. The CEO of anti-extinction company Colossal Biosciences believes we are “playing God” and he has no qualms about using DNA to bring back creatures we have wiped out.

Ben Lamm sat down with Yahoo News this week to discuss his plans, shortly after he made a sensational announcement that his company was one step closer to bringing back the Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine, after a 99-year-old death .9 percent accurate genome was reconstructed.

“Did the Australians play God when they wiped out the thylacines in the late 19th century? I would argue, yes. Are we playing God when we pollute the environment, accelerate man-made climate change, or cut down the rainforest? I would say yes,” the Texas-born entrepreneur said from his hotel room in Sydney.

What you believe about the creation of the earth is irrelevant to Lamm’s mission. What matters is that humans are currently the largest predators on the entire planet. And our species is causing the sixth mass extinction on Earth. Therefore, Lamm believes that technology must be used to “create a better future” but also “undo the sins of the past.”

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Which species does Colossal bring back from the dead?

Colossal’s goal is to produce a woolly mammoth calf by 2028. It is a species whose path to extinction is controversial, as it is unclear what role hunting and human migration played in it. But the other animals on his priority list were clearly wiped out immediately after arriving in Europe – the dodo disappeared after 60 years and the thylacine survived just over 130 years.

This theme continues with Lamm saying, “We’re not working on it, but I’d like to bring back the Stellar manatee.” The giant dugong-like creature he’s referring to died less than 30 years after the arrival of fur traders and Seal hunters in Alaska.

But there’s another reason he chose these specific species: They all played a significant role in the ecosystem and their loss had lasting consequences. He doesn’t seem all that interested in bringing back the lesser-known smaller species, but acknowledges that we’re wiping them out every day.

You must read more stories about Tasmanian tigers

How are newly emerged valuable thylacines protected?

When it comes to the thylacine, Colossal is committed to working with conservationists, Indigenous groups, private landowners and government to replenish Tasmania’s wild spaces with the marsupial predator.

“We have no intention of putting the animals in zoos,” said Lamm. “Our goal is to reintroduce them into their natural habitats, with enough engineered genetic diversity that they can actually thrive on their own without human intervention,” he said.

If thylacines are saved from extinction, they will have exceptional value until their populations are established – individuals could be worth millions. While the species once lived in parts of mainland Australia, by the time of European settlement it was restricted only to Tasmania and probably numbered only around 5,000 individuals.

Lamm couldn’t describe exactly how these animals will be protected from poachers and collectors, but he said a “community-based plan” will determine how this will be implemented. And an ultimate measure of success would be to view them as simply another Australian animal, rather than some sort of legendary creature that is the subject of myth.

“Colossal cannot be the sole protector of these different species that we are working on…I am sure that from a conservation perspective they need to provide some level of support,” he said.

“If we are successful, our goal will not be to produce a few extremely valuable thylacines. Our goal is to reintroduce as many genetically diverse thylacines into the wild in a phased process so that they can not only survive, but thrive again.”

Surprising scientific discoveries

Why not focus on living animals that are at risk of extinction?

Colossal has raised $235 million outside of the $50 million nonprofit Colossal Foundation. And while the company works with conservation groups to help endangered species, critics of its anti-extinction program say the money could be better spent solely on protecting surviving animals.

Over 45,300 species are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List – that’s 28 percent of all species assessed.

There is also concern that the extinction process could worsen the concept of extinction, meaning developers and policymakers may have fewer reasons to protect a species if it can be brought back.

But Lamm is always the “glass half full” type, arguing that the possibility of bringing creatures back from extinction raises environmental awareness and, in particular, piques the interest of the next generation. He calls these critics of the concept of extinction “uninformed critics,” even though they include several high-profile conservationists, including thylacine expert Nick Mooney. It’s not that he doubts their qualifications in their own field, he just believes they don’t fully understand his goals.

Earlier this year, Mooney said of plans to bring back the thylacine in general: “The most dangerous thing about the eradication program is that it teaches that human extinction doesn’t last forever, so by default you don’t have to worry about it.”

He also raised concerns about introducing an extinct species into a rapidly changing world, saying: “If it succeeds, Tasmania will have more than a million people in ten years, and.” [it] could be a refuge for very intense climates. Any land not used by humans will have more people living on it. And many currently sparsely populated areas will be full of people. For a large carnivore that doesn’t understand risks, it will be very, very difficult.”

How will Colossal make money from extermination?

Lamm claims his plans are driven by altruism and that the resulting scientific advances will produce new technologies that can be monetized.

Colossal argues that extinction will “become a thing of the past” and its progress will help other species, including our own. And the company wants to make money with the latter.

Lamm compares his company to the Apollo program, which brought humanity to the moon but also led to the creation of over a dozen household items we all take for granted, including camera phones, LED lights, wireless headsets and memory foam.

“We have already founded two colossal companies. One focused on plastic degradation, which poses another existential threat… We have also already founded a computational biology platform valued at over $100 million focused on solving some critical problems in the US.” We study genomes and help identify areas to improve the manufacturing process for drug discoveries in human healthcare,” said Lamm.

Would the CEO of Colossal want to live forever?

On average, people live less than 100 years, but our history is littered with stories of people who continued to change the world for centuries after their deaths, like Genghis Khan and Cleopatra. Long after we are all dead, the earth will be littered with relics and ruins from ancient Rome, World War II and, of course, evidence of modern humanity – billions of chicken bones, layers of concrete and trillions of pieces of plastic.

But now, as technology advances, humans are able to extend their lives and potentially even increase their impact on the planet by staying on Earth longer and evolving. But how long is too long on Earth, and would Lamm want to live forever on such an important mission?

Although the idea has preoccupied great men for thousands of years, when we asked Lamm on Thursday, it didn’t seem to be a topic he had previously given much thought to. But his response was taken into account in real time and adamantly.

“Do I want to live forever? “Why not?” he said.

“I wake up every day feeling pretty inspired. I’m an eternal optimist… I think if you could live forever and we could terraform other planets and fly to the stars and explore and maybe meet other civilizations, I think.” “That said, I think that’s pretty cool and magical” he said.

“What we think is innovative today is like yesterday’s magic. Think about tomorrow. Think about what technologies will look like in 1000 years. And so… I’m sure I’d like to live forever. Why not? “

Lamb is in Australia for SXSW from October 16th to 24th.

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