Bringing a super-sized canine back from extinction after 12,500 years might sound like the plot of a blockbuster movie, complete with special effects like gnawed flesh and buckets of fake intestines. Yet, this isn't fiction; it's reality. The biotech company Colossal Biosciences has successfully revived the dire wolf, and now, three of these ancient creatures—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—reside in a secret location in the US.
Romulus and Remus at three months old
The team at Colossal Biosciences, driven by what some might call extreme Game of Thrones fandom, utilized the DNA of the common gray wolf, advanced gene-editing techniques, and domestic dog surrogates to bring these dire wolves to life. These majestic animals are everything a mother of dragons could hope for: huge, white, and undeniably awesome.
Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal, expressed immense pride in the team's achievement, stating, “This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works.”
The process involved extracting DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull to create healthy dire wolf puppies. Lamm added, “It was once said, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Today, our team gets to unveil some of the magic they are working on and its broader impact on conservation.”
Romulus and Remus at one month old
Colossal Biosciences isn't new to making headlines. Previously, they engineered a Colossal Woolly Mouse, resembling a mammoth, using computational analysis of various mammoth genomes. Critics, however, argue that the dire wolves are essentially normal wolves in fancy dress, suggesting that the existing dire wolf DNA might not be sufficient to create a true genetic clone.
The company's mission extends beyond creating social media sensations or owning unique pets. Colossal Biosciences aims to use their findings to preserve current species for future generations. Dr. Christopher Mason, a scientific advisor and board member, emphasized the transformative nature of this work, saying, “The de-extinction of the dire wolf and an end-to-end system for de-extinction is transformative and heralds an entirely new era of human stewardship of life.”
He further noted the broader implications of their technology: “The same technologies that created the dire wolf can directly help save a variety of other endangered animals as well. This is an extraordinary technological leap in genetic engineering efforts for both science and for conservation as well as preservation of life, and a wonderful example of the power of biotechnology to protect species, both extant and extinct.”
Colossal Biosciences has collaborated with the American Humane Society and the USDA to ensure the well-being of Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi on their 2,000+ acre preserve, where they are cared for by a dedicated staff.
