Woolly by Ben Mezrich
8 out of 10Well written. Reads well.
As of 2025, we are not sharing the planet with any woolly mammoths. However, the groundwork has been laid. Pig organs have been modified toward being transplanted into humans. Pets have been cloned. Genes have been inserted into mice in order to create new disease immunities. CRISPR can change and edit genes. Microgenetic biomes are being studied. Epigenetic consequences can be predicted. Many cold-weather herbivores (such as musk oxen) are used to create a healthier Arctic environment in Pleistocene Park. The mammoth genome has been sequenced. Presumably, modifications could be made to elephant stem cells. Although, someday soon, animal cells could be synthetically manufactured from scratch.
Mezrich tells the background stories of important geneticists, ecologists, and other pioneering scientists.