How to Clone a Mammoth
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Beth Shapiro
About this book
An insider's view on bringing extinct species back to life
Could extinct species, like mammoths and passenger pigeons, be brought back to life? In How to Clone a Mammoth, Beth Shapiro, an evolutionary biologist and pioneer in ancient DNA research, addresses this intriguing question by walking readers through the astonishing and controversial process of de-extinction. From deciding which species should be restored to anticipating how revived populations might be overseen in the wild, Shapiro vividly explores the extraordinary cutting-edge science that is being used to resurrect the past. Considering de-extinction's practical benefits and ethical challenges, Shapiro argues that the overarching goal should be the revitalization and stabilization of contemporary ecosystems. Looking at the very real and compelling science behind an idea once seen as science fiction, How to Clone a Mammoth demonstrates how de-extinction will redefine conservation's future.
Author / Editor information
Reviews
"An engaging, rigorous, and deeply thoughtful book."—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction
"At once an account of the state of the technology, a sketch of how to proceed, a barrage of as-yet unanswerable questions and a manifesto."—Olivia Judson, Financial Times
"A thrilling tour of the science that might—might—recreate lost worlds from the not-too-distant past. . . . Sharp, witty, and impeccably-argued."—Riley Black, National Geographic.com
"An entertaining and deeply informative read."—A. Rus Hoelzel, Science
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Frontmatter
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CONTENTS
vii -
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PREFACE TO THE 2020 EDITION
ix -
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PROLOGUE
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CHAPTER 1 REVERSING EXTINCTION
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CHAPTER 2 SELECT A SPECIES
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CHAPTER 3 FIND A WELL- PRESERVED SPECIMEN
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CHAPTER 4 CREATE A CLONE
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CHAPTER 5 BREED THEM BACK
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CHAPTER 6 RECONSTRUCT THE GENOME
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CHAPTER 7 RECONSTRUCT PART OF THE GENOME
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CHAPTER 8 NOW CREATE A CLONE
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CHAPTER 9 MAKE MORE OF THEM
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CHAPTER 10 SET THEM FREE
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CHAPTER 11 SHOULD WE?
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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NOTES
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INDEX
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