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Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore) episode artwork

Oct 16, 2026 1 hr 39 min

Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)

from Open to Debate Hosted by Open to Debate

Once a sci-fi fantasy explored in films like “Jurassic Park,” some biological and technological breakthroughs indicate that reviving extinct creatures could become a reality. Proponents argue that the benefits include correcting mistakes of the past by bringing back extinct ecosystems and organisms. Others argue it's not ethical or even feasible. Now we debate: Should humans bring extinct creatures back to life? Arguing YES: Dr. Ross MacPhee, Curator of the Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History Dr. Lynn J. Rothschild, Evolutionary Biologist & Astrobiologist Arguing NO: Stewart Brand, Co-Founder of Revive & Restore & Founder of Whole Earth Catalog Dr. George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard and MIT & Founder of the Personal Genome Project Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates Attend a live debate in Baltimore on October 27th. We'll be debating the impacts of AI in higher ed at Johns Hopkins University as part of our Hopkins Forum series in partnership with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute. Reserve your seat now! ⁠https://bit.ly/ai-college-future⁠ Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing debates.

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Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)

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