Scientists Are Reincarnating the Woolly Mammoth to Return in 4 Years

I think I have also heard a more sentiment-based critique of de-extinction elsewhere that - given the dodo's strong connotation as something of a bygone, which cannot be replenished - what sort of an image to the public, or politicians for that manner, would a resurrected dodo bring?
 
Resurrecting the mammoth: Elephant breakthrough gets us a step closer
Some interesting news - Colossal Biosciences has successfully created elephant stem cells.
I will say that looking into it further, I do find Colossal somewhat frustrated - naturally it's a black-box sort of situation, a private company - but if it is that Colossal has achieved what is discussed here then I am very happy for that.
But it does sadden me that this can't be news about a victory in the fight to save the two African species and Asiatic elephants from extinction... it's a victory towards the goal to create a mammoth. Whether or not it will actually happen. I don't think it's a coincidence how we never hear about someone with a plan to bring back the Christmas Island Rat, or the Steller's Sea Cow, for what worth those species would have to their respective ecosystems. I think it does show something or other.
 
Another curiose I found at Colosal's website - the apparent use of AI-generated imagery.
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On the page regarding the dodo, there is one picture of a pink pigeon which appears to be authentic. But the rest all seem AI generated. This pigeon doesn't look all too much like the species it's meant to and its foot even has an extra toe.
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Similar story with these ones.
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The thylacine page has this picture - which is presumably meant to be a thylacine but is off in many respects.
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And it also contains this picture of what is meant to be a dunnart - which is more mouse like in appearance with larger ears and wider snout.
My guess is that the real species aren't quite as 'fantastical' as what an AI can create...? But then the people aren't caring about the species in question. You are creating a facade.
 

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dillotest0 said:
upload_2024-3-15_11-29-26-png.692190

The thylacine page has this picture - which is presumably meant to be a thylacine but is off in many respects.
Click to expand...
When I scrolled past this picture, I was convinced by that face it was a fossa! Yeah, the use of all these AI generated images is ridiculous, I was playing around yesterday trying to get AI generated photos for a fictional zoo- but the photos I got were absolutely insane and terrifying. Unless your idea of a good zoo is tiger/zebra hybrids and four-eyed naked mole rats which are larger than humans.

dillotest0 said:
Another curiose I found at Colosal's website - the apparent use of AI-generated imagery.
upload_2024-3-15_11-26-14-png.692188

On the page regarding the dodo, there is one picture of a pink pigeon which appears to be authentic. But the rest all seem AI generated. This pigeon doesn't look all too much like the species it's meant to and its foot even has an extra toe.
upload_2024-3-15_11-27-31-png.692189
Click to expand...
Please don't tell me they are trying to use pink pigeons as surrogates for dodos! Pink pigeons are struggling enough as is, trying to use them as a surrogate, if successful, would essentially be replacing one extinct species with the extinction of another.
 
PossumRoach said:
I don’t understand how anyone who use AI images for thumbnails and promotional materials think of themselves as hot stuff. People should learn from the Glasgow Wonka experience as a warning not a manual.
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I only learnt about that experience tragically recently.
The best I can put it is that it's the place children go to lose their childhood wonder and trust in their parents.
 
PossumRoach said:
Glasgow Wonka experience
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That disaster didn't even have access to the Willy Wonka license.

It was promoted as "Willy's Chocolate Experience" and the Wonka wannabe character was called "Willy McDuff" in the (Also A.I.-generated!) script the poor actors were expected to follow.

(Well, up until "Willy McDuff's" actor pointed out that the script called for a vacuum cleaner to be used during the climax... When there was no vacuum cleaner to be found in that god-forsaken warehouse the "experience" was being held in. At which point the con artist who was orchestrating the whole thing just told the actors to throw out the script and "wing it". Lol.)
 
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I think de-extinction (and Pleistocene rewilding) is a bad idea. It takes resources away from saving extant species and has ethical problems. It can also put ecosystems at risk.
 
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