A mass extinction that is human-driven

Several years back, as a guest of the British Foreign office, I visited Dolly, the sheep, at Edinburgh. It was fascinating to see the genetic marvel, of how scientists had managed to develop a clone of an animal species.

This led to the development of a number of clones of different animal species in various scientific laboratories and farms across the world. While the news did attract media attention but the initial public excitement that was visible at the time of birth of Dolly the sheep, had certainly waned. Reports of successful scientific cloning of animals didn’t enthuse anymore, with news reports tucked somewhere in the inside pages, perhaps people realised that with already existing large animal populations, who would be interested to see more clones being born, despite the scientific claims being made to applaud these scientific achievements.

Nevertheless, as a plant breeder and geneticist myself, I have always found it thrilling to track the immense possibilities new emerging technologies are throwing up. But there have already been enough caution that has been flagged whenever such astounding scientific claims have been made. I remember when studies in molecular genetics and biotechnology in agriculture became the buzzword, claiming to be the dawn of a new era in breeding new plant varities, bringing in the first generation of genetically modified (GM) crops. These varieties came with tall claims of reducing the application of chemical pesticides used in agriculture, not everyone was convinced. Some 20 years later, after GM cotton was first introduced in India, scientific studies now show that the use of chemical pesticides had actually increased in cotton. Despite the term greenwashing being used to refer to the failure of GM technology to live up to the reputation, corporate interest has kept the focus alive.

A report in the fortnightly Down to Earth (April 21, 2025) reveals the paradox: “Drawing on data from four crops – Bt cotton, herbicide-tolerant soybean, HT/BT and/or maize and HT rapeseed (canola) – the researchers underscored that GM crops, despite their early promise, had only deepened agriculture’s dependence on chemical in over the last three decades.” The study was done by researchers from the Purdue University, Lee University, Washington University and the International Cotton Advisory Committee in the United States. The study was based on what is called as Jevons paradox, which shows that increased efficiency in resources can often lead to a rise, and not a fall, in overall consumption.

“By 2018, Indian cotton farmers were spending 37 per cent more than the pre-Bt high.” That’s a significant outcome of the study. It shows that all claims about Bt-cotton being insect resistant had fallen flat after the initial reduction in pesticides usage that was observed in the first few years. However, even now, the scientific community hasn’t moved beyond GM cotton varieties as a possible and sustainable solution to reduce the application of chemical pesticides in cotton.

In any case, the intention of this column was not to talk about the awful experience that Bt cotton has bestowed on Indian cotton farmers. Going back to the days of Dolly, the cloned sheep and thereafter, and drawing from the failure of GM cotton as the answer to the excessive use of chemical pesticides in cotton, I am also quite open to the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) not only in agriculture but also in de-extinction as the way to bring back some of the species that have gone extinct over the centuries. But at the same time, the more I watch the videos and read about the possibility of resurrecting some of the lost species, I get worried. We can run down the fear that Jurassic Park (For the record -- dinosaur had become extinct some 65 million years ago) has left the viewers with saying it was purely a work of fiction, the reality can however be still more horrendous.

The scientist in me is certainly excited, but the conservationist in me is very worried. I don’t think that’s the future, to be created by the promise of AI that I shall be looking forward to, despite all the hyped claims.

Let me share here two excellent videos on YouTube that I watched recently. The first is from a series called Synapse conclaves that the intrepid journalist Shoma Chaudhury does. Since I had the privilege of participating in some of her very interactive and powerful debates, obviously I am drawn to her amazing shows. The Synapse series is done so deftly and with so much of hard work that it leaves viewers awestruck. The Synapse 2025 series looks at the first robotic citizen Sophia, and in the same series she talks of de-extinction science staging a comeback. We have already seen the woolly mammoth regenerated from oblivion, and now it is the turn of dire wolves. Among the 25 species that are likely to be regenerated are: Caspian Tigers, Woolly Rhinoceros, Carolina Parakeet, Elephant Bird. I don’t know why scientists have not included Maharana Pratap’s famed Chetak horse from India in the list although its body lies buried in Udaipur. Perhaps the scientists abroad had never heard of Chetak, the horse known for its flying speed.

Many of you, however, would be thrilled at the possibility of recovering these lost species, but have probably never given a thought to the 6th mass extinction that is underway. The 6th mass extinction differs from the earlier one because this is driven by human induced climate change unlike the earlier five mass extinctions the world has witnessed in its 4.5 billion year history. Many scientists expect nearly 60 per cent of biological wealth to culminate during the 6th mass extinction, which many believe is yet to begin.

By 2050, the world would lose 50 per cent of the existing species. Bringing back a handful of them would not be for conservation purpose, as it is claimed, but for the commerce these are likely to bring. No wonder, the de-extinction project is backed by some big names from the Hollywood and other billionaires. For instance, Ambani’s 280-acre mega-zoo or what is called as animal rescue sanctuary in India, faces the same criticism. We will see more of such rescues, even presenting the de-extinct animals, happening in other parts of the world.

Shoma Chaudhury brings together Ben Lamm, Ceo of Colossal BioSciences, and George Church, popularly known as the father of gene editing, to discuss more about how de-extinction can help revive conservation efforts. In another video, the popular YouTuber and the heart throb of the younger generation Dhruv Rathee in his new video called This is Danger traces the history of de-extinction and raises the worrying question whether we need theses extinct animals to be brought back at a time when we don’t have any compassion left for the existing species, which headed towards extinctions. I leave it to the readers take a call. Before you form any opinion, against or for de-extinction, please be aware as to what the world needs. Before the AI induced Adam and Eve take a bite from the AI developed apple, it is an appropriate time for the present generation to ensure that the final decision is not left to five or six billionaires sitting in a board room but taken by a society that may for all that we know may be very wary of the ‘forbidden fruit’.

(The author is a noted food policy analyst and an expert on issues related to the agriculture sector. He writes on food, agriculture and hunger)