Stewart Brand gave a TED presentation about de-extinction and bringing extinct species back. He engaged the audience by asking if they would like to see extinct animals return. Scientists are injecting DNA from extinct animals like mammoths into modern relatives. However, issues exist with how to properly socialize the first animals of a resurrected species without their own kind. While some view de-extinction as unnatural, Brand believes it is our duty to undo extinctions we caused. He used examples like the carrier pigeon to make his case for attempting to revive lost species through science.

1. Alex Payne
TED Presentation

2. Stewart Brand – The de-extinction
process has begun to take off.

3. “Extinction is a bigger kind of death;
it’s bigger.” – Stewart Brand opening
line.

4. He engaged with the audience by
asking them questions like whether or
not they would like to bring back the
animals we have killed off.

5. Scientists are injecting DNA from
extinct animals into modern animals of
the same family.

6. A major problem is how will the first of
their species properly grow up without
a mother?

7. Many people feel that this process is
unnatural and just another way for
scientists to show off.

8. Others like Brand feel that it is our
duty to bring back species that have
gone extinct because of human
development.

9. Carrier Pigeon is one animal that is
currently being worked on by scientists
to bring back.

10. Dream big – most of us cannot
imagine ever seeing animals that we
have only heard stories about.

11. Level of dynamist – 5. His topic was
literally about forcing nature.

12. Brands’ delivery was very calm and
easy to follow.

13. His use of video footage from the
1930’s of the last marsupial wolf was a
great addition to his presentation.

14. The various examples of animals that
are near extinction was eye opening
because it made the audience want to
keep them in existence.

15. Sir Ken Robinson was a little more
active and entertaining to watch.
However, I felt that Stewart Brand’s
presentation was more to the point.
That left him basically stating facts and
theories the entire time which at
points was more enjoyable.

16. Don’t feel like you need to put too
much “fluff” in your speech. It can
often be just as effective to narrate a
sequence of events that expand on
your thesis.

17. Citations
• http://www.ted.com/talks/stewart_brand_the_dawn_of_de_extinction_are_you_ready.html
• http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/02/Stewart-Brand-Interview-2-
537x368.jpg
• http://frenchtribune.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/article/de-extinction-washington-dc.jpg
• http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/c/cr/cretaceous-
tertiary_extinction_event/cretaceous-tertiary_extinction_event_1.jpg
• http://www.presentationmagazine.com/newimages/audience-questions-510.jpg
• http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/library/cat-removed/parallel.gif
• http://www.whatpoll.com/Posts/extinct%20animals%202199.jpg
• http://www.edge.org/images/brand500.jpg
• http://mjcdn.motherjones.com/preset_12/stewart-brand-300x250.jpg
• http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8342/8219949047_956d439cea_z.jpg
• http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2012/03/woolly-mammoth.jpeg
• http://images.wolfgangsvault.com/stewart-brand/fine-art-print/memorabilia/LSH660121-04-01-
FP.jpg
• http://www.speak-for-yourself.org.uk/images/cartoon-4.gif
• http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/thylacine_tasmanian_tiger.jpg
• http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/123/cache/american-
bison_12348_600x450.jpg