Humanity is a step closer to bringing back the thylacine after the research collaborative DNA Zoo has successfully sequenced the numbat genome. While the numbat bears a superficial similarity to the tassie tiger, their DNA is remarkably similar and Tim Binnall’s excited by the prospect of having his own pet thylacine one day. But if the thylacines are lazarus’ed back, will it be purely altruistic or might DNA Zoo or some other entity claim intellectual property It’s a thorny question raised by Matt Reynolds in You’re (Maybe) Gonna Need A Patent For That Woolly Mammoth. Already scientists and their corporate patrons have patented their own beasties leading many to wonder if our science fictional future is worthwhile, or profitable. (CS)
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