22 May 2026
About this episode
Episode 371
The moa was a giant flightless bird from New Zealand that died out around 500 years ago. Are we about to see it brought back from extinction?
Colossal Biosciences say they have made an artificial egg shell that is a step towards recreating the massive eggs of moas (and dodos). This is huge news… if it works. Is this really enough to bring them back to life - and should we even be trying?
We discuss the news and wider ethical implications of de-extinction - including Colossal’s headline goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth to assist in the climate crisis.
Rowan Hooper is joined by ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Michael Le Page and palaeontologist Victoria Herridge.
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