I hope you’ve had a chance to read my hard science fiction story about deextinction in the latest Analog.  Most of the story is based on my research, but I did make a few parts up.  Here’s the lowdown on fact and fiction in the story:

Is there a single board where people pitch deextinction plans to get funding?

Not to my knowledge, and in general that’s not how research funding works (there are lots of independent groups deciding what research to do, so there might be boards but not one single board).  I made that part up.

Is deextinction a real science?

Yes, it is.  There are groups currently working on deextincting the Wooly Mammoth, Passenger pigeons, and other creatures.

Are there people trying to determine which species to deextinct?

Yes, there are people making lists.

Was the Irish Elk a real animal and is it on the lists?

Yes, it was and is.

Are there people studying the ethics of deextinction?

Yes, there are.  There are groups arguing against it and groups arguing for it.  There are also people studying the ethics to produce guidelines on what species to deextinct.

Is Pleistocene Park a real place?

Yes it is.

Did the Neanderthal Y chromosome really not make it into the human genome?

According to one study, it did not.  The paper speculates that homo sapiens could not carry male fetuses with Neanderthal Y chromosomes to term.

Do the Irish Elk have the same issue with the Y chromosome?

Not to my knowledge.  I made that bit up.

Is the genus name for saber-toothed cats really smilodon?

Yes!  Smilodon fatalis.  Isn’t it a great name?

Was there really a saber-toothed salmon, and is its genus name really smilodon?

Yes, there was.  Alas, it has apparently been renamed.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour through deextinction links! I enjoyed doing all the research that went into this story.