Long extinct 'dire wolf' species recreated by US scientists – DW – 04/08/2025
www.dw.com
A US company says it has genetically engineered wolves like those from a species that died out over 10,000 years ago. Colossal Biosciences says its aim is to bring back lost species and help those near extinction.

Summary

US company Colossal Biosciences claims to have recreated dire wolves, extinct for over 10,000 years, by genetically engineering three pups.

Using ancient DNA from fossils and modifying gray wolf cells, the genetic material was transferred to dog eggs carried by domestic dog surrogates.

The pups, Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi, are expected to grow larger than modern wolves.

Colossal aims for “de-extinction” and using these techniques for conservation.

However, independent scientists note this achieves only superficial resemblance, not full revival, and the pups lack parental hunting instruction.

  • Rooskie91@discuss.onlineEnglish
    23·
    18 days ago

    Someone posted another article that has a interview with an independent scientist, and I think it’s rather illuminating.

    Meachen is impressed with Colossal’s announcement but remains skeptical.

    “I don’t think they are actually dire wolves. I don’t think what we have is dire wolves,” Meachen told ABC News. “What we had is something new – we have a mostly gray wolf that looks like a dire wolf.”

    Shapiro disagrees with that thinking.

    “I think that the best definition of a species is if it looks like that species, if it is acting like that species, if it’s filling the role of that species then you’ve done it,” she said.

    So their only criteria for “Is it a dire wolf,” is yupp, looks like one and behaves like one, even though every real scientist is skeptical. This is, never the less, still impressive technology, but bringing back extinct animals seems more like a marketing gimic than a description of what they’re actually doing.

    Flawless logic. Never mind that no one alive has ever observed a dire wolf.

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/dire-wolf-revived-biotech-companys-de-extinction-process/story?id=120558562