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The quest to revive extinct Aurochs to restore ancient lands

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Rewilding and restoration of land often rely on the reintroduction of species. But what happens when what you want to reintroduce no longer exists? What if the animal in question is not only locally extinct, but gone for good? Yes, this might sound like the plot of Jurassic Park. But in real life this is actually happening in the case of the Aurochs ( Bos primigenius ). This wild ancestor of all modern cattle has not been seen since the last individual died in 1627 , in today’s Poland. Aurochs have been deep within the human psyche for as long as there have been humans, as attested by their prominence in cave art. However, the advent of agriculture and domestication put the magnificent animal on a path to extinction. So why bring the Aurochs back today and how? And what is the likely outcome? What is left of Aurochs, besides their depiction in cave paintings, are some fossil remains and some descriptions in the historical record. “Their strength and speed are extraordinary,” w...
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The quest to revive extinct Aurochs to restore ancient lands

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Image
Rewilding and restoration of land often rely on the reintroduction of species. But what happens when what you want to reintroduce no longer exists? What if the animal in question is not only locally extinct, but gone for good? Yes, this might sound like the plot of Jurassic Park. But in real life this is actually happening in the case of the Aurochs ( Bos primigenius ). This wild ancestor of all modern cattle has not been seen since the last individual died in 1627 , in today’s Poland. Aurochs have been deep within the human psyche for as long as there have been humans, as attested by their prominence in cave art. However, the advent of agriculture and domestication put the magnificent animal on a path to extinction. So why bring the Aurochs back today and how? And what is the likely outcome? What is left of Aurochs, besides their depiction in cave paintings, are some fossil remains and some descriptions in the historical record. “Their strength and speed are extraordinary,” w...
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Why apes can't talk: our study suggests they've got the voice but not the brains

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We all know that parrots can talk . Some people may have even seen elephants , seals , or whales mimicking speech sounds. So why can’t our closest primate relatives speak like us? Our new research suggests they have the right vocal anatomy but not the brainpower to use it. Scientists have been interested in understanding this phenomenon for centuries. Some have argued that non-human primates didn’t have the right-shaped body parts to make the same sounds as we do, and that human speech evolved after our speech organs changed. But comparative studies have shown that the form and function of the larynx and vocal tract is very similar across most primates species , including humans. This suggests that the primate vocal tract is “ speech ready ” but that most species don’t have the neural control to make the complex sounds that comprise human speech. When reviewing the evidence in 1871, Charles Darwin wrote “the brain has no doubt been far more important”. Along with Jeroe...
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Indigenous people invented the so-called 'American Dream'

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When President Barack Obama created Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the 2012 program that offered undocumented young people brought to the U.S. as children a path into society , for a moment the ideals of the American Dream seemed, at least for this group, real. We call these kids, many of whom are now adults, “ Dreamers ,” because they are chasing the American Dream – a national aspiration for upward economic mobility built on physical mobility . Fulfilling your dreams often means following them wherever they may lead – even into another country. The Trump administration’s decision to cancel DACA – which is currently on hold while it is litigated in the courts – and build a U.S.-Mexico border wall has endangered those dreams by subjecting 800,000 young people to deportation. But the notion underlying both Trump’s DACA repeal and the wall – which is that “ illegal ” immigrants, most of them from Mexico, are stealing U.S. jobs and hurting society – reflects a pro...
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