A team of scientists wants to use the most advanced technology to "resurrect" the extinct dodo bird at the end of the 17th century.

Schematic diagram of the dodo bird.

(Associated Press)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] The "Dodo" (Raphus cucullatus, also known as Dodo), which once lived on Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, has peculiar looks, can't fly, clumsy walking posture and other characteristics , however, became extinct at the end of the 17th century due to excessive hunting by humans, but now scientists are trying to "resurrect" them with genetic engineering.

According to "CNN" reports, the dodo was discovered by a group of Portuguese sailors who landed on Mauritius Island in 1505. However, because this group of birds is not afraid of humans, and the sailors brought alien species such as mice and hunting activities, the dodo was in the wild. It was declared extinct within a few decades of being discovered.

Now a team of scientists want to "resurrect" the dodo, they will use the latest technology, including ancient DNA sequencing (ancient DNA sequencing), gene editing (gene editing) and synthetic biology technology, hoping to open a new era of bird conservation technology.

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"We're in the midst of an extinction crisis right now, and we have a responsibility to come up with compelling stories and get people excited so that we Inspire them to think about the extinction crisis that is happening right now."

Shapiro is chief paleontologist at Colossal, a biotechnology and research firm co-founded by tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard Medical School geneticist George Church. Genetic engineering start-ups.

In addition, the company is working on an equally ambitious project to bring back the mammoth and the thylacine (aka: the Tasmanian tiger).

And Shapiro also mentioned that she has completed the important first step to revive the dodo bird, that is, the genetic material taken from the remains of the dodo bird in Denmark, and complete the ancient DNA sequencing of the dodo bird genome; A comparison of the genetic information of the dodo's close relative in the dove family, the surviving Nicobar pigeon, and the extinct Rodrigues solitaire.

According to Shapiro, such a process is to allow scientists to find the genomic mutation that "makes the dodo the dodo". In order to "resurrect" the dodo, or at least bring back a dodo-like clone in the DNA of the original dodo.