species extinction

Bloomsbury has published 'Going Going Gone', a book profiling 100 animals and plants at risk of extinction. It notes that humans share the planet with an estimated eight to ten million species, most still undescribed, with only about two million documented so far. Readers are discussing the scale of the biodiversity crisis the book draws attention to.

Conservation scientist Katie Heineman of the Frozen Zoo spoke about efforts to preserve wildlife DNA for the future. The Frozen Zoo stores genetic samples from endangered and extinct species, aiming to safeguard biodiversity and support research and potential de-extinction work. The interview covers how these collections are maintained and why genetic archives are becoming central to conservation.

New analysis shows that officially declaring a bird species extinct takes far longer than many assume: the median wait between the last confirmed sighting and formal extinction declaration is 36 years. The finding highlights how conservation bodies remain cautious, since premature declarations can cause funding and protection to be withdrawn from species that might still survive, while delays keep hope—and uncertainty—alive.

Scientists have discovered an extinct bovine species in Siberia, identified as a previously unknown relative of yaks. The find sheds light on the lost diversity of Ice Age megafauna in the region and the evolutionary history of yak-like animals. Coverage is so far limited, with the discovery reported as revealing a lineage science did not know had existed.

Scientists have identified the remains of an extinct ice age bovine species in a Siberian cave. The find adds to the region's rich record of Ice Age megafauna, which has previously yielded mammoths, cave lions and woolly rhinoceroses preserved in permafrost. Details about the animal's age, how it died, and what the discovery reveals about ancient ecosystems have not yet been made public, but researchers are expected to publish further analysis.

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a legal challenge against a Trump administration move that would permit the killing of endangered wildlife. The filing argues the policy change undermines protections established under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation groups are expected to press the case as the change would weaken safeguards for species at risk of extinction.

Species extinction is being argued as a humanist concern, not just a scientific or environmental one. The framing holds that humanity's responsibility for the loss of other species is a moral and ethical question central to humanist values, broadening the biodiversity debate beyond conservation circles.

Colossal Biosciences, the de-extinction company, says promptable biology — the ability to direct biological systems much like prompting software — will become practical within a decade. The claim frames its genetic engineering and species-revival work as a step toward programmable life sciences. Reaction so far is limited, with no independent assessment of the timeline available.

New research reported by Earth.com suggests transposons, so-called jumping genes, may explain how ants diversified rapidly after the dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago. The finding points to these mobile DNA elements driving genetic variation that allowed ant species to adapt and spread into many ecological niches, helping make ants one of the most successful insect groups on Earth.

Ben Lamm, head of biotech startup Colossal Biosciences, gave an interview to CNBC about the company's work on de-extinction — using genetic engineering and artificial intelligence in efforts to bring back extinct species such as the woolly mammoth. The discussion covered how AI accelerates genome analysis and the scientific and ethical questions surrounding reviving lost species.

New South Wales National Parks is drawing attention to the Wollemi pine, one of Australia's most threatened plants. The ancient conifer species, famously known as a 'living fossil', survives in a small number of wild populations in Wollemi National Park and is the focus of ongoing conservation efforts to protect it from extinction.