Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
Scientists Announce Revival of Extinct Dire Wolf Species
For enthusiasts of prehistoric creatures and followers of popular culture, the dire wolf, a species known to have vanished millennia ago, has been resurrected. Biotech firm Colossal Biosciences, based in Texas, has declared the successful de-extinction of the dire wolf, marking a significant achievement in genetic engineering and conservation. This groundbreaking endeavor raises questions about the methodology employed to achieve this feat and the implications for future de-extinction projects.
Understanding Dire Wolves
Dire wolves were a species of canine that roamed the Americas during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs, approximately 125,000 to 10,000 years prior. According to information released by Colossal Biosciences, these canids typically possessed white fur.
The Process of Dire Wolf De-extinction
Colossal Biosciences detailed the scientific steps undertaken to bring back the dire wolf in a recent press release. The process involved a series of sophisticated procedures:
- Extraction and sequencing of ancient DNA from dire wolf fossils.
- Assembly of ancient genomes from the DNA samples and comparative analysis against genomes of extant canids, such as wolves, jackals, foxes, and dholes.
- Identification of unique gene variants specific to dire wolves.
- Determination of physical characteristics of dire wolves, including a white coat and dense fur.
- Implementation of multiplex gene editing on the genome of the gray wolf, the closest living relative.
- Screening of edited cell lines via whole genome sequencing and karyotyping to ensure genetic integrity.
- Cloning of high-quality cell lines through somatic cell nuclear transfer into donor egg cells.
- Embryo transfer and management of interspecies surrogacy to facilitate gestation.
- Successful birth of the de-extinct species.
Key Figures Behind the De-extinction Project
George Church: Geneticist and Co-founder
George Church, a distinguished geneticist, molecular engineer, and chemist, is a pivotal figure as the co-founder of Colossal Biosciences. Holding a professorship at Harvard University, Church has a prolific history of innovation, having established roughly 50 biotech companies within his university laboratory. His influence extends beyond academia and industry, as recognized by his inclusion in Time magazine’s 2017 list of the 100 most influential people globally.
In the context of dire wolf de-extinction, Church emphasized the broader implications of this technology in Colossal’s press release. He stated, “Preserving, expanding, and evaluating genetic diversity is crucial, particularly for endangered species like the red wolf, before they face extinction. Our novel de-extinction technologies offer another avenue for enhancing ecosystem variety. These technologies encompass deep ancient DNA sequencing, polyphyletic trait analyses, multiplex germline editing, and cloning. The dire wolf project exemplifies this approach, showcasing the most extensive precise genomic edits achieved in a healthy vertebrate to date. This capability is rapidly advancing.”
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Ben Lamm: CEO of Colossal Biosciences
Ben Lamm serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Colossal Biosciences. A successful entrepreneur, Lamm’s financial standing is notable, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $3.7 billion.
In comments accompanying the April 2025 press release, Lamm expressed immense pride in his team’s achievement in de-extincting the dire wolf.
Lamm further elaborated on the significance of this milestone, “This monumental achievement represents the first in a series of demonstrations validating the efficacy of our comprehensive de-extinction technology platform. Our team successfully utilized DNA extracted from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull to produce healthy dire wolf pups. Drawing on the adage, ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,’ our team is unveiling some of the transformative potential of their work and its wider positive impact on conservation efforts.”