Steven Rinella talks with Matt James, Brody Henderson, Spencer Neuharth, Randall Williams, Phil Taylor, and Corinne Schneider. Topics discussed: The ascendancy of Dr. Steve, PhD.; are dire wolves back?; cracked robin eggs; our book Catch A Crayfish, Count the Stars is out now in paperback; alligators killing people; skull morphology; similarities between grey wolves and dire wolves; how similar a carrot is to a human; cloning DNA; Colossal's dire wolf care manual; how a household somewhere has the dire wolves' dog momma surrogate; the ghost portion; genetic rescue efforts; transgenics and taxonomy; spurring conversation about the biodiversity crisis; and more. Check out the gear the MeatEater Crew uses in the field here: https://store.themeateater.com Follow us: Web: https://www.themeateater.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/meateater Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater Chapters 00:00 The Ethics of De-Extinction 06:52 Dire Wolves and Conservation 11:01 Nature's Harsh Realities 14:58 Cultural Perspectives on Nature 19:52 Alligator Encounters and Safety 24:40 Wildlife Smuggling and Conservation Efforts 27:50 Dire Wolves: Myths and Facts 30:19 Cultural References: Game of Thrones and Dire Wolves 33:55 Genetic Similarity: Dire Wolves vs. Gray Wolves 36:45 The Science of Genetic Sequencing 44:43 Reconstructing Extinct Species: Challenges and Methods 48:18 Birth Protocols and Challenges 51:20 Animal Care Manual Insights 53:56 Feeding and Raising the Dire Wolves 55:31 The Woolly Mouse Project 56:58 The Purpose Behind De-Extinction 01:01:53 Ethical Considerations in De-Extinction 01:06:51 Conservation and Genetic Rescue 01:10:20 The Role of Indigenous Knowledge 01:27:07 Media Coverage and Public Perception 01:31:23 The Importance of Habitat in Species Recovery 01:36:14 De-Extinction Technologies: Hope or Hurdle? 01:41:05 Cultural Perspectives on De-Extinction 01:48:19 The Balance of Risk in Conservation 01:53:00 Funding and Resources for Conservation Efforts 02:01:40 Behavioral Insights from Captive Species 02:06:55 The Broader Impact of De-Extinction on Society