Scientists have brought a dire wolf-like creature—extinct for about 12,000 years—back to life.
Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company known for its work in genetic engineering, successfully welcomed three dire wolf pups named Remus, Romulus, and Khalessi, a nod to the legendary wolves from Game of Thrones.
To achieve this, the team used DNA extracted from a 72,000-year-old skull and a 13,000-year-old tooth, combining it with genetic material from gray wolves, the dire wolf’s closest living relatives.
Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal, explained that the scientists used a method called somatic cell nuclear transfer. This involved inserting the ancient DNA into donor egg cells, which were then implanted into a surrogate gray wolf.
In total, 15 extinct dire wolf variants were inserted into the gray wolf genome, creating an animal that expresses genes that have not been expressed for over 10,000 years.
Last October, the surrogate gave birth to three healthy dire wolf puppies.
Today, the pups are thriving in a 2,000-acre ecological preserve in the United States.
Just last month, the company made headlines for creating a “woolly mouse” using ancient mammoth DNA.
While that project grabbed attention, Colossal’s ultimate goal is to bring back the woolly mammoth, something they plan on achieving by late 2028.
Dr. Beth Shapiro, the company’s Chief Science Officer, said Colossal’s innovative methods have “set a new standard for paleogenome reconstruction.”
What Are Dire Wolves?
Dire wolves roamed the Americas up until about 10,000 years ago. They were roughly 25% larger than today’s gray wolves, with broader heads and much stronger jaws. Their diet mainly consisted of large prey like bison and horses.
They went extinct around 13,000 years ago, likely due to the loss of their primary food sources at the end of the last ice age.
Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
In January, Colossal Biosciences raised $200 million to help fund their efforts to bring back the woolly mammoth. While the exact reason for the mammoth’s extinction remains unclear, scientists believe it was likely due to over hunting, climate change, or a combination of both.
Valued at over $10 billion, the company has already sequenced the mammoth genome and developed a method for producing elephant stem cells, both of which are essential steps in bringing back the woolly mammoth.
Now, all that’s left is to insert the targeted mammoth DNA into the elephant genome.
Colossal scientists have already identified ‘target genes’ that determine whether an animal will develop into a mammoth or an elephant. By plugging the wooly mammoth DNA directly into that of a modern elephant, they will be able to resurrect the mammoth.
