Bringing a super-sized canine back from extinction after 12,500 years sounds like the plot of a thrilling movie, complete with special effects featuring gnawed flesh and buckets of fake intestines. However, it's not just a cinematic fantasy; it's a reality thanks to the efforts of some dedicated individuals. The world now has three dire wolves living in a secret location in the US, thanks to the biotech company Colossal Biosciences.
Romulus and Remus at three months old
The team behind this remarkable achievement is Colossal Biosciences, fueled by an enthusiasm that rivals the most ardent Game of Thrones fans. Using DNA from the common gray wolf, advanced gene-editing techniques, and domestic dog surrogates, they successfully brought Romulus, Remus, and their younger sister, Khaleesi, into existence. These dire wolves are everything a mother of dragons could hope for: huge, white, and undeniably awe-inspiring.
“I could not be more proud of the team. This massive milestone is the first of many coming examples demonstrating that our end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works,” said Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal.
“Our team took DNA from a 13,000 year old tooth and a 72,000 year old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies. 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 is no stranger to making headlines. They previously engineered a Colossal Woolly Mouse, essentially a mouse in a shaggy hipster coat, to mimic a mammoth phenotype. This was achieved through the computational analysis of 59 woolly, Columbian, and steppe mammoth genomes, ranging from 3,500 to over 1,200,000 years old. Despite their achievements, the company faces criticism from those who argue that the dire wolves are essentially normal wolves in elaborate costumes. Critics claim that the dire wolf DNA available today is insufficient to create a true genetic clone.
However, the motives of Colossal Bioscience extend beyond social media buzz and owning extraordinary pets. The company aims to leverage its findings to help preserve the creatures that currently inhabit our planet for future generations.
“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,” said Dr. Christopher Mason, a scientific advisor and member of the board of observers for Colossal.
“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.”
As for the dire wolves themselves, Colossal Biosciences has collaborated with the American Humane Society and the USDA to ensure their 2,000+ acre preserve meets the highest standards. Like any good superstars, these dire wolves have a dedicated entourage of staff to care for their every need.
