● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsLow impact2 neutral
Colossal Biosciences uses AI to genetically engineer extinct animals like dire wolves
Key points
- Colossal Biosciences uses AI to reconstruct extinct animal genomes.
- Three dire wolf pups were born using edited gray wolf cells.
- Woolly mammoth birth is targeted for the 2030s via Asian elephant modification.
- The company also works on dodo, Tasmanian tiger, and moa de-extinction.
- Colossal Biosciences launched GenoMorph, an AI platform.
- GenoMorph identifies gene-editing targets for de-extinction projects.
- GenoMorph uses 3D morphology, comparative genomics, and developmental biology.
- Colossal has only one dodo genome, compared to 100 woolly mammoth genomes.
- Woolly mammoth DNA is more plentiful due to preservation in colder climates.
De-extinction Efforts Underway
Colossal Biosciences is actively working on genetically engineering extinct animals, including the dire wolf, woolly mammoth, dodo bird, Tasmanian tiger, and moa. CEO Ben Lamm stated that the company expects to deliver more extinct species back to Earth in the next one to two years.
Dire Wolf Project Details
For the dire wolf project, genetic material from ancient skulls and teeth was used. AI models reconstructed the dire wolf genome, mapping it to its closest living relative, the gray wolf. Embryos were created by editing the cells of modern gray wolves, resulting in the birth of three pups named Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, carried by domestic dog surrogates.
Woolly Mammoth and Other Species
A similar process is being applied to the woolly mammoth project, which involves genetically modifying an Asian elephant. Colossal Biosciences aims for a woolly mammoth birth in the 2030s. The company considers these genetically engineered animals to be the de-extinct species if they look, act, and serve the ecological functions of the original.
Addressing Skepticism
Skeptics argue that these efforts create genetically modified versions of living relatives rather than true de-extinction. Lamm dismisses this as a 'semantic argument,' suggesting that gray wolves themselves are naturally modified dire wolves. He also clarified that bringing back dinosaurs is impossible due to the lack of viable DNA.
Updates
- Colossal Biosciences launched GenoMorph, an AI platform.
- GenoMorph identifies gene-editing targets for de-extinction projects.
- GenoMorph uses 3D morphology, comparative genomics, and developmental biology.
- Colossal has only one dodo genome, compared to 100 woolly mammoth genomes.
- Woolly mammoth DNA is more plentiful due to preservation in colder climates.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Colossal Biosciences launched GenoMorph, an AI platform designed to identify gene-editing targets for de-extinction projects with limited genetic data. The platform combines 3D morphology, comparative genomics, and developmental biology to accelerate efforts, particularly for species like the dodo bird where only one genome is available. This development addresses a bottleneck in de-extinction by pinpointing genetic differences responsible for unique traits.
Colossal Biosciences is using AI models to reconstruct genomes of extinct animals, such as the dire wolf, and map them to living relatives for genetic engineering. The company has already produced three dire wolf pups and plans to de-extinct other species, including the woolly mammoth, aiming for a birth in the 2030s.