Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction

by Britt Wray, George Church (Foreword)

Jurassic Park meets The Sixth Extinction in Rise of the Necrofauna, a provocative look at de-extinction from acclaimed documentarist and science writer Britt Wray.

A captivating whirlwind tour through the birth and early life of the scientific idea known as “de-extinction.”—Beth Shapiro, author of How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction

What happens when you try to recreate a woolly mammoth—fascinating science, or conservation catastrophe?

In Rise of the Necrofauna, Wray takes us deep into the minds and labs of some of the world's most progressive thinkers to find out. She introduces us to renowned futurists like Stewart Brand and scientists like George Church, who are harnessing the powers of CRISPR gene editing in the hopes of "reviving" extinct passenger pigeons, woolly mammoths, and heath hens. She speaks with Nikita Zimov, who together with his eclectic father Sergey, is creating Siberia's Pleistocene Park—a daring attempt to rebuild the mammoth's ancient ecosystem in order to save earth from climate disaster. Through interviews with these and other thought leaders, Wray reveals the many incredible opportunities for research and conservation made possible by this emerging new field.

But we also hear from more cautionary voices, like those of researcher and award-winning author Beth Shapiro (How to Clone a Woolly Mammoth) and environmental philosopher Thomas van Dooren. Writing with passion and perspective, Wray delves into the larger questions that come with this incredible new science, reminding us that de-extinction could bring just as many dangers as it does possibilities. What happens, for example, when we bring an "unextinct" creature back into the wild? How can we care for these strange animals and ensure their comfort and safety—not to mention our own? And what does de-extinction mean for those species that are currently endangered? Is it really ethical to bring back an extinct passenger pigeon, for example, when countless other birds today will face the same fate?

By unpacking the many biological, technological, ethical, environmental, and legal questions raised by this fascinating new field, Wray offers a captivating look at the best and worst of resurrection science.

Published in partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biology, Animals, History, Nature, Natural History

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2017

About the author

Britt Wray is an author and researcher working at the forefront of climate change and mental health.

Britt's latest book, Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis (Knopf 2022) seamlessly merges scientific knowledge with emotional insight to show how climate fears and anxieties are a sign of our humanity, and acknowledging, valuing, and learning to live with them is key to making it through present and future crises.

Britt is the author of the widely read Gen Dread newsletter about "staying sane in the climate crisis" (gendread.substack.com). She is also a Human and Planetary Health Fellow at Stanford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Her first book - Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics and Risks of De-Extinction – is about a new scientific movement that aims to bring extinct species back to life, and is published by Greystone Books and the David Suzuki Institute. The New Yorker, Sunday Times, and Science News called it a "Best Book" of 2017. The foreword is written by George Church of Harvard University and MIT, who is using genome-editing techniques to create woolly mammoth traits in elephant cells in his lab.

Britt's work has been featured in international media, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Washington Post, The Guardian, TIME, and Globe and Mail. She is a TED speaker and presenter and producer of several radio programs, podcasts and TV shows that have aired on the BBC and CBC.

Learn more about Britt at brittwray.com and @gen_dread on Instagram or @brittwray on Twitter.

Reviews

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is NOT light reading or primarily past animal extinction stories to read for informational pleasure either. It's heavy science definitive material fare for species definition, cloning stages and procedures and other highly biologic savvy language related processes with 100's or more exact genome typed terms involved or included in the mix.

But a less than expert for this level of caliber reader may enjoy parts of this to set a window for their own judgments or positioning. To where this "idea" or "form" for a de-extinction for some particular animal, for instance, occurs now or might occur or proceed to in the future. And why. Or not ever for other whys.

The latter chapters were question probing and excellent but all opinion and anecdotes. And also inputs of so many like minded scientists as Britt Wray as well, IMHO- that you have to take ALL of it with a huge grain of salt in the last question posed chapter.

Also there were points in this, that really did make me LOL. They did. I must hold absolutely not a jot of "survivor's guilt" as some of those de-extinction or "breeding back" donors for these $$$$ processes describe it and seem to own. The pages of length about the passenger pigeons really did make me laugh. The outcome is far from funny- but telling about how these millions were eaten?? And how they are genetically tilted toward only living in humongous colonies for success, when they become smaller groups, they all fail! And yet they want a "small bunch"?

Regardless I did think some of these suppositions were near to ridiculous. And others were mean spirited and impractical to humans which is never considered as any "real" negative here, I guess, by the warmhearted naturalists trying for another wooly. (The story of the older man being killed by reintroduced muskox, for example.)

There are reasons why there never can be a Jurassic Park using frozen or any other kind of dinosaur DNA. That and all the pages about being able to "breed backward" for a return of the earliest cattle ancestor type were probably the most interesting. I read the recovering of cell types and cloning chapters of process twice. Difficult to comprehend all the sequencing language and steps in this. It hardly every works. And the fetus does not do well in even the most closely related modern mom either.

[Bob Pounding · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the science portions of the book we're interesting, the real meat of it was in the discussion of ethics. Is de-extinction a viable option for ecological repair or just another techno-fix that will lead us deeper into the sh** we're already wading in? Do we have a moral responsibility to undue the damages we've inflicted on species populations or should we mourn the disappearance of them and move forward, dedicating our energy and resources to species that still exist?

For me, the reward at the end of the book is the interview with Thomas Van Dooren, a professor of extinction studies. His answers are so full of wisdom I found them life changing. Thanks Tom!

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rise of the Necrofauna is a wonderfully clearly written, enjoyable, extremely interesting and engaging book that takes a broad look at the science, uses, ethics, and risks of de-extinction technology and organisms.

Chapter one provides a summary of the scientific methods involved in the various de-extinction efforts. I would have preferred more details of the actual methods involved, such as is covered in How to Clone a Mammoth by Beth Shapiro. However, what the author does write about the science involved is clear and easily understandable.

The remainder of the book covers topics on the ethics and uses of this technology, such as: why de-extinction is important; what species are good contenders and why; woolly mammoths and passenger pigeons; possible regulations for de-extinct species; uses of this technology in conservation efforts; and the risks involved.

Most of the information and examples covered in this book is discussed (in one way or another) in How to Clone a Mammoth by Beth Shapiro, however, this book is better written even though it doesn't emphasize the science as much. So, if you have read How to Clone a Mammoth you will probably not gain much more information from this book. On the other hand, this is a lovely introduction to the concept and reality of de-extinction and its possibilities.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wray gives a solid overview of different work happening on de-extinction across the globe. I'd previously read Mammoth by Richard Stone, which by 2018 has grown slightly dated. Wray writes with humor and breadth, and this serves as a great introduction to anyone interested in this field. I'm particularly fond though of How to Clone a Mammoth by Beth Shapiro, which was written by a scientist currently on the forefront of this work.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. She does a great job simplifying and explaining the science behind de-extinction. The beginning was a little rough if all you've taken is seventh grade (13 years old) biology, like me, but it's manageable. It reads well, and she's a good writer, who throws sarcasm and modern references in which make it entertaining and light. She weaves Jurassic Park throughout the entire book, which makes sense because it's the de-extinction pinnacle, so to speak, which she also discusses. She organized the book well, thematically, and has a lot of sources for her topics. It does sometimes feel a little lacking, but as she says, that's because it's still a fringe topic in science, though it's becoming more known. She focuses on woolly mammoths and passenger pigeons because they're the two biggest attempts/research topics, as far as I understand it. That was fascinating, and I liked the way she distinguished between them and explained the similarities and differences between un-extincting both of them. She also looks at the ethical ramifications of bringing back extinct species, such as whether we're playing God, like Frankenstein, or whether we have a duty to bring back species we made extinct, and what that would look like. She does look at the legal ramifications, briefly, but that was lacking for me. However, I recognize that there's not any law out there on this subject yet, because nobody has successfully brought a species back yet. So that makes sense, even if I was left wanting more on the law. Her discussions on the different ramifications and the science and how they interact, depending on species, and even the brief section on class and culture, were fascinating and really made me think about what this could mean, and what morals really are and how they play a role in extinction. There was talk of why humans feel we need to save species that are endangered, and how people don't know how to explain the why of that question, it's just a feeling, but how morals can't be 100% emotional or 100% logical, because then there's no balance. It was a fascinating book and highly applicable in the modern world of climate change and global warming, which she also discusses. It's not quite a five star read for me simply because sometimes it was hard to keep track of all the science since she explains the cells at the start of the book, but then the types come up throughout the book. However, that's probably a personal, non-scientific person problem, rather than a broad problem. It just made it a little harder for me to become engrossed in the book sometimes.

[anarresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the course of history most species have gone extinct but in the last few decades many species have gone extinct before our human eyes, some by human action. One fringe arm of science and conservation is de-extinction, genetic manipulation to bring a species back to life. The field is so fringe Wray can cover all the “big” projects, a woolly mammoth for northern climates (and perhaps entertainment), the passenger pigeon for forest health (and perhaps human guilt), a frog which gives birth gastronomically for basic research and some smaller work. She discuss the genetic science, the reproductive challenges, the environmental problems, the ethical concerns and the current and past research. The scientific basics are covered so some of the more interesting science can be discussed, but nothing is too technical. This is a broad overview with a lot of time devoted to the “why” and not just the “how”. Wray’s personal ethical concerns are included among the expert interviews, but so is her scientific interest and excitement. The book felt just the right length, enough information was conveyed without dragging and the notes and bibliography was full for readers interested in more.

[Mk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, several for me new concepts. It is good to try and keep-up with an accelerating world and the concepts introduced to me in this book do that: Revive & Replace, GMO's, DE-extinction, genetic engineering & several extinct organisms that are on the list to genetically bring back into the life of the world. What is next on the horizon? Stay alert. Things are moving very quickly.

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Move over Jurassic Park, there are real scientists exploring ways to bring back species that have become extinct, species like the passenger pigeon, the auroch, and the wooly mammoth. The prospect is exciting to people who believe we should restore what we have destroyed but others are less sanguine about the idea. In Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction, Britt Wray seeks to answer the many questions that should be considered before the first critter is made unextinct.

Wray organizes her examination of de-extinction around eight questions that make up the chapter titles. How is de-extinction done and why is it important? Who are the contenders? Why create the wooly mammoth? Can we bring back billions of passenger pigeons and should we? How could we regulate this? Can the things we learn from de-extinction be used to save endangered species? Is some knowledge too dangerous? This touches on the whole fear that as soon as we know how to do something, someone is bound to go and do it. These fears are only exacerbated by He Jankui’s reckless intervention in editing the genes of twins in China. Seeing his actions defended so nonchalantly by George Church who is one of the leading scientists in de-extinction adds to the unease I feel about this.

Wray examines each question carefully and answers them all with room for readers to agree or disagree with her own thoughts. She is not a dogmatic writer, sharing her own ambivalence and uncertainty.


I enjoyed reading Rise of the Necrofauna. I found it particularly interesting reading it so soon after reading The Re-Origin of Species by Torill Kornfeldt. Both books are about de-extinction. Kornfeldt’s is more personal in its approach while Wray’s is more focused on organizing her research and interview around specific questions. One of the fascinating things is how different scientists seem very different in how they interacted with the writers. For example, the man behind the ambitious Pleistocene Park seemed more of a gonzo scientist in Wray’s book and more serious in Kornfeldt’s book.

While it’s clear the de-extinction is not just around the corner, it’s around the next corner after that. We need to think about the implications and possible consequences now, before it happens. This book is a thoughtful introduction to the questions we must answer soon.

I received a copy of Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction for review from the publisher.

Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction at Greystone Books
Britt Wray author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Grazyna Nawrocka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, boy! What a subject! Britt Wray restrained herself from making any judgmental remarks, and was very objective and factual in presentation of the subject. I believe she also treated it very thoroughly. The idea is definitely controversial. The book is well written, fascinating, and I'd recommend it to anybody who likes the nature.

Now, I don't feel obliged to be polite and objective. I would not mind creating a mammoth, if it was done from 100% DNA. I would not even object to creating two copies of it, for educational purpose. However, creating some new hybrid in thousands of copies is irresponsible.

First, let us address walking "fake mammoth" around the zoo. Whatever it would be, it is supposed to be wild. Perhaps if you stuffed it with pieces of dog's DNA, it would be happy walking, and waving its tail. Otherwise, you might need to do some training. I recommend watching http://phajaan.webs.com/ Phajaan - "Crushing an elephant spirit" to get ideas about how to subdue such a large animal.

Next, let's get to digestion and poop, as well as farting. I've heard that farting cows create more methane than cars (I'm not sure how accurate this assessment is). Now, let's consider the "fake mammoth's" poop. A new creature can have quite unknown processes and environment in its stomach and consequently in its poop. This might allow for development of new bacteria, viruses and what not. Potentially it might be repetition of the "War of the Worlds" scenario, only we would be the species facing extinction.

Overall I am against the idea, but am aware that the science "will keep marching on" whether we want it or not.

[Kate Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well researched book did a good job explaining the real science behind a Jurassic Park scenario. As both someone who was been fascinated since I was 10 when Jurassic Park came out to becoming a teacher of genetics and genetic engineering ethics this book was right up my alley. If I was still teaching my genetics course, I would be utilizing this book. I currently teach environmental science and while that was what first brought me to this book the material seemed to be more genetic thinking than environmental thinking.

I would have been fine with some editing when it came to reintroduction animal selection and possible contenders. I feel like the meat of the book was at the start and that could have been expanded upon. A bit more historical / informational and a bit less hypothetical. The discussion on selective breeding to reverse breed an extinct animal seemed much more interesting than a discussion of why to pick the mammoth for example.

Overall a good read if you are a science person or this topic interests you, not a light read so don’t go into it unless you really like this topic!

[Dessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is so much cool shit in this book and this topic, but the framework seemed distinctly wobbly. For some reason, Wray seems to think she has to pass judgement on the scientific or moral value of these projects. This proves an impossible task, and her awkward self-insertions and navel-gazing had me rolling my eyes more than once, twice, thrice. Finally, don’t cast shade at Donna Haraway just because she doesn’t have time for a full interview! She sent you a very nice email which you were able to quote at length! She’s very busy! Count your blessings that she responded to your email in the first place! SMH! Anyway, yes, pick this up and learn about mammoths and thylacines and passenger pigeons. But also stop to question why no one seems interested in bringing back extinct fish or insects. Could this entire scientific niche be about assuaging our guilt about driving adorable things to extinction? Unemotional reptiles and annoying creatures need not apply!

[Brishen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this entire book.
The first part is all on the science of bringing back extinct species and I was quite fascinated by the different ways that this is being tried. However, what I really liked were the later chapters that focused the ethics of bringing these species back. I suppose that I hadn't given it much thought, just figured that this would always be a curiosity in a zoo or enclosure. Of course though, as the book points out: a few individuals do not a species make, and truly bringing them back will require a huge effort, a ton of resources, and the ability to answer the question of why? It was the last bit of the book that goes deep into this question bringing together the thoughts and ideas of individuals who have given this a lot thought that I really enjoyed. It's given me a completely different view of the entire idea.

[Josh]

A great book by an author who is equal parts excited and skeptical of the notion of de-extinction, and does a commendable job of exploring both sides of the argument whilst still making clear the science, politics, and ethical issues at the heart of the discussion. This gave me a much greater appreciation for an idea I hadn't given much thought to, and like Wray after this I would say that I am amenable to some of the arguments and proponents of de-extinction, but ultimately I am not swayed and to me it is mostly a curiosity which in truth is nigh-impossible to accomplish in a manner that would really do justice to the original life forms which we might seek to de-extinct. Fascinating for sure, but there are other fish to fry. Worth a read, and even a re-read.

[Steve Gores · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers some interesting information on efforts to revive extinct species such as the mammoth, the auk, and the passenger pigeon. Wray comes from a journalism background, so she's most comfortable when she is recounting interviews with researchers, advocates, and critics of "de-extinction." Perhaps because of that, she sometimes loses her way when telling a story or summarizing the science of DNA/cloning, and she relies a lot on describing her own feelings--she uses "I wondered," "I thought," "I asked myself," etc. All in all, because this field is moving so quickly, the book is a solid beginning point for newcomers, even if it is already a bit dated.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked the scientific/ethical questions raised by Jurassic Park than this is the book for you. It's a balanced look at the real world application of de-extinction including science, ethics, and legal questions. Spoiler alert - the dinosaurs aren't coming back - but the passenger pigeon might. There's a lot of pretty heavy science in this - but as a lay person I found that even if I couldn't understand all of the science there was plenty to get from this book. Truly fascinating and thought provoking.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating exploration of what it would meant to "de-extinct" some species. Is the effort to bring some animals back from extinction an attempt by some humans to ease their guilt over what is currently being done to the environment and the large number of extinctions currently occurring? Is it diverting scientific resources from helping animals that are currently facing extinction? Or is it developing techniques that can be used to make threatened species hardier? A well-written and very readable mix of science, ethics, and philosophical debate.

[JuliannaM · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get the sense that the thesis got away from the author a bit... I was much less interested in the speculative mechanics of how necrofauna could one day be revitalized then the actual ethics of this process. Not nearly enough analysis of the inherent sexism, species, environmental racism, and human hubris that genetic experimentation and geo-engineering are rooted in. Also, there are some unfortunately folksy turns of phrase to try to humanize the subject matter that just read as patronizing.

[Emily Van Coolput · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all, an instructive read on an unusual topic, which left me feeling considerably better informed about both the motives and the techniques of de-extinction than I was when I picked it up. Personally I could have done without the author's own doubts and opinions (or at least without their frequent repetition), but I suppose this is a subject that warrants a certain degree of caution.

[Gabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rise of the Necrofauna was a rather intriguing book due to the collection of so many ideas and opinions on de-extinction. A good book to read to keep up with modern biological progress. However, I do find Britt Wray's occasional personal reflections somewhat distracting, although perhaps this makes the book easier to read.

[Prudence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is apparently my 12th book of the year. I was trying to finish it so it was my last of 2022 and have had 40 pages remaining since January because of it. Really enjoyable read though and I highly recommend. Accessible overview of de-extinction as a concept and includes lots of varied perspectives from scientists in and adjacent to the field.

[Liz Harkness · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and thorough review of the issues surrounding de-extinction. I'm a scientist in another field of study, and found Wray explained the science behind de-extinction with enough brevity to not get bogged down and enough of the right details to get the point across.

[Darnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun subject. The author does a good job giving time to those who are opposed to de-extinction... enough so that I was actually more convinced by their arguments. Still an interesting field of science to learn about.

[The Inquisitive Biologist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rise of the Necrofauna is an effortless read on a controversial topic that has been branded "fascinating, but dumb" by some. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2017...

[Tomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the science and ethics of de-extinction. While it suffers from a bit of bloat in places, it does an excellent job of being informative, thought provoking, and entertaining. If you're interested in the idea of resurrecting extinct species this is a solid read.

[Alyssa Tuininga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally well written, researched and thoughtfully laid out. Examines current research in de-extinction, moral/ethical/legal discussions, impacts on current endangered species and the current methodology. Easy to read, interesting and well done.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting story and a good read!

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for prompts of discussion of the topics and writing is not overly technical so it could be used as a launching point for more research, but it lacks detail and citations.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book by a highly skillful writer. Impressive and highly recommended. The final chapter is intriguing. Well Done, Ms Wray!!

[Anna Wylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found the book very interesting, but something about the way the ethics was presented felt half-hearted.