The last known thylacine—the largest marsupial carnivore in recent times—died in Tasmania’s Beaumaris Zoo in 1936.
Extinction is an age-old song, one played so many times in Earth’s history that we regularly discover new species that died out in the ancient past. But only in the last century have humans generally been aware of the final member of a species, typically because the creature is held in captivity.
Genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences said Tuesday that it will try to resurrect the extinct dodo bird, and it’s received $150 million in new funding to support its “de-extinction” activities.