Attempts are already being made to clone individuals from endangered species, such as the white rhino in Kenya, and place the fetus in surrogate mothers from related species.
But attempts are also being made to bring extinct species to life.
For example, researchers hope to reintroduce the mammoth into the Siberian ecosystem.
The idea is then that the mammoth through pickling will hold back the afforestation of the tundra and in this way the permafrost is prevented from thawing and releasing the greenhouse gas methane.
The research asks a number of ethical questions
This type of research raises a number of ethical questions and in a newly started project at Luleå University of Technology, LTU, researchers now want to find out the public's attitude to biotechnology - before it is too late.
- If people are genuinely afraid that this could create problems in the future, it is very important to know that before we start, says Jesper Stage, professor of economics and project manager at LTU.
The project has been granted research funding of just over three million kronor and is expected to last for three years.
In the clip you will hear more about the project.