In this talk, paleogenomicist Beth Shapiro walks through what it actually takes to revive an extinct species and why the honest answer is more interesting than the myth.
Drawing on decades of work sequencing ancient DNA, Shapiro breaks down the real science behind de-extinction: what we can learn from mammoth genomes, why cloning a mammoth is impossible and what scientists are doing instead.
She explains how the same genetic tools being developed for de-extinction are already being used to help living species survive and what a cold-tolerant, mammoth-like elephant could mean for Arctic ecosystems.
Join Dr. Beth Shapiro for the 2026 Don Rix Distinguished Keynote Address!
When: Monday, November 2, 2026
4:00 – 4:30 PM Registration
4:30 – 6:00 PM Keynote Address and Q&A
6:00 – 7:00 PM Reception
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre West Building
Admission is free, however registration is required.
PHOTO: Woolly Mammoth Model, Royal BC Museum by Thomas Quine
