How do digital technologies shape our understanding of extinct species and the futures we imagine for life on Earth? These were among the questions explored by Sarah Bezan in her invited presentation, Digital Cultures of Species Revival, delivered as part of Vienna Digital Cultures at Foto Arsenal Wien in May 2026.

The international festival brought together academics, artists and cultural practitioners to explore the theme"alone or together" through a diverse programme of talks, exhibitions and creative works.

Beginning with the iconic control room of Jurassic Park, Dr Bezan examined the cultural dimensions of de-extinction, the scientific effort to revive extinct species through techniques such as gene editing, cloning and back-breeding. While projects involving species like the woolly mammoth often generate discussion about biodiversity and conservation, Bezan's research asks a different set of questions: what cultural desires and imagined futures are driving these ambitions.

Drawing on examples from cinema, photography, virtual reality exhibitions and contemporary speculative fiction, Bezan explored how digital media stages extinct species as ghosts, clones and speculative test cases for ethical reflection. She also examined narratives linking de-extinction to artificial intelligence, mind uploading and digital consciousness, revealing how technological futures increasingly shape conversations about nature and extinction.

The presentation highlighted the broader ethical questions raised by species revival. Who gets to decide which species are brought back? What forms of nature are being imagined, designed and reconstructed? And what responsibilities accompany the creation of these speculative futures? Through these questions, Bezan encouraged audiences to think critically about the intersection of science, culture and technology in shaping life after extinction.

To learn more and watch the presentation, visit the event recording on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmktRBKBhoQ&themeRefresh=1  and the Vienna Digital Cultures website.