What in the World Why do scientists want to bring back extinct animals?
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Apr 11, 2025 Victoria Gill, BBC's science correspondent, dives into the fascinating world of de-extinction. She discusses Colossal's ambitious project to revive the dire wolf, shedding light on the genetic techniques used and the challenges faced. Gill raises critical questions about the reality of recreating extinct species and clarifies that these dire wolves are actually genetically modified gray wolves. The conversation also touches on the ethical implications and ecological concerns tied to potentially reintroducing these creatures into today's world.
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How Dire Wolves Were 'Brought Back'
- Colossal used damaged DNA from dire wolf fossils to identify key genetic differences from grey wolves.
- They edited grey wolf embryos with these genes to create animals close to dire wolves but mostly grey wolf genetically.
Pups Are Modified Grey Wolves
- The three pups are genetically modified grey wolves, not true dire wolves.
- True dire wolves are extinct, and these modifications are small among thousands of genes.
De-Extinction Limits and Challenges
- Colossal aims to bring back woolly mammoths using similar techniques with elephants.
- The resulting animals would be hybrids, and their original habitats no longer exist.