Why Scientists Want to Resurrect Extinct Species

Our demographics look different than they did even seventy years ago. People are choosing to have less children, which leads to an aging population that could strain social services and deal a blow to the economy. But isn’t slower population growth supposed to be more sustainable for our environment? The answer is complicated– but it’s one we’ll have to understand to tackle our changing world.

Globally, only 9% of plastic is ever recycled, and even that tiny amount requires some virgin plastic to maintain quality. But scientists have discovered a new way to address this issue: “plastivores”, organisms that have evolved to eat plastic using enzymes in their bodies. Can we harness these enzymes and use them on the macro scale? Or will it not be enough to keep up with plastic production?

In order to develop clean energy technology, specific rare earth metals like cobalt and nickel need to be harvested. These often come at a steep human and environmental cost– but what if there was another way? Some propose sourcing these metals from the ocean floor or asteroids, but these solutions come with additional considerations and concerns.