Bringing mammoths back to life by 2028

In a story reminiscent of ‘Jurassic Park’, Colossal Biosciences aims to resurrect the woolly mammoth by 2028, using genetic technology.

In a ground-breaking announcement, Colossal Biosciences revealed plans to use Asian elephant DNA to engineer animals with characteristics similar to the prehistoric woolly mammoth.

This initiative, dubbed ‘functional mammoths,’ seeks to recreate these ancient creatures by genetically modifying Asian elephants, the species most closely related to mammoths.

The company’s ambition extends beyond mammoths, they previously proposed the revival of the extinct dodo bird.

The genetic puzzle

The challenge in resurrecting long-extinct animals is obtaining genetic material, given the limited population of 30,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants in the wild.

Colossal co-founder George Church stated, ‘With so few fertile female elephants, we don’t want to interfere with their reproduction at all, we want to do it independently.’

Scientists aim to utilise induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), similar to embryonic stem cells, capable of differentiating into any type of cell.

This technology, discovered in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka, has been applied across various species but poses unique challenges in elephants.

A modern mammoth?

Despite sequencing genomes from several frozen mammoths, the genetic material available is often damaged and incomplete.

The plan involves filling these gaps with elephant DNA, creating creatures that are not pure mammoths but genetically altered elephants with similar physical traits.

However, to discourage human exploitation, the animals will lack one of the mammoths’ most distinct appendages: ‘Almost all of their features will be included, except for the characteristic huge curved tusks,’ explained the scientists from Colossal, indicating a strategic decision to protect the animals from poachers.

This ambitious project represents a blend of conservation, science, and ethical considerations. It raises questions about the limits of genetic engineering and the potential for resurrecting extinct species.

Colossal Biosciences recently posted on Twitter/X: ‘The mammoth is just the start of de-extinction’s legacy. Our long-term goal is to establish a full species library of genetic DNA and embryos from endangered species, safeguarding them from extinction.’

They concluded with the question: ‘Which species do you want to be safeguarded in our genetic library?’

The message was met with many positive responses: ‘I think that the Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus) could be a good candidate to be returned to life,’ said one. Catboy replied: ‘My cat turkey.’

However, other warned: ‘What could possibly Jurassic Park, err, go wrong…’ While one individual replied: ‘Quit playing God. It doesn’t end well.’