A recent announcement by Colossal Biosciences made headlines after the company claimed to have successfully brought the extinct dire wolf back to life. The species, which disappeared more than 10,000 years ago, is famous in both pop culture and science circles. Colossal stated that it had used ancient DNA to create three dire wolves, calling it the world’s first de-extinction success. However, it soon became clear the reality was far more complex.
Instead of cloning actual dire wolves, Colossal used gene-editing technology to modify the DNA of modern grey wolves, their closest living relatives. These edited wolves now have certain traits—like lighter-colored fur—that are more similar to what scientists believe dire wolves looked like. But many experts argue that changing the appearance of a grey wolf doesn’t make it a dire wolf, as the extinct species had distinct genetic markers and behaviors.
Eventually, Colossal’s chief scientist admitted that the animals were not truly dire wolves, but simply gene-edited grey wolves. Experts suggest that true de-extinction would require cloning using high-quality DNA—something that’s extremely difficult with long-extinct species. Still, the story raises important questions about genetics, ethics, and what it really means to bring a species back.
Vocabulary:
• extinct (adj): no longer existing; a species that has died out
• resurrect (verb): to bring back to life
• species (noun): a group of animals or plants that are similar and can reproduce
• clone (verb): to make an exact copy of a living thing
• controversy (noun): a serious disagreement or debate
• extract (verb): to take something out, especially from another substance
• backpedal (verb): to change or take back a previous statement
• behavior (noun): the way a person or animal acts
• trait (noun): a characteristic or feature
• ancestor (noun): a species or person that came before another
• admit (verb): to say something is true after denying or avoiding it
• condition (noun): the state something is in, especially in terms of quality
Source: Behind the News