Woolly mammoth could come into existence for real, elephant’s gene to be modified

Recently, the first-ever 3D structure of the DNA of a 52,000-year-old Woolly Mammoth has been sequenced, significantly increasing the possibility of resurrecting this beloved furry giant from the ancient past. Colossal Biosciences is at the forefront of this ambitious project, and they are nearing their goal.

However, as Live Scienc e highlighted, a crucial question has arisen in public discourse: does the “why” behind this endeavor truly make sense? As marketing expert Simon Sinek famously said, “People don’t buy what you do, but why you do it.” In this case, Colossal asserts that we must revive the Woolly Mammoth to save the planet and the endangered elephant.

On the brink of one of the most sci-fi attempts ever made by science

As IE covered back in July, the remarkably well-preserved Woolly Mammoth sample, frozen in time for 52,000 years, seems to have significantly advanced this pursuit with substantial backing from Colossal, a bioscience and genetic engineering company based in Texas.

Their objective is well-defined and clear: to bring back the Woolly mammoth that comedian Trevor Noah wants to adopt and Steven Colbert at least wants to see, as per their website, as they’ve garnered significant media attention.

The 52,000-year-old fossil sample recently analyzed provided a million times more sequence data and the first complete set of chromosomes ever to paleogeneticist and professor of evolutionary genomics at Stockholm University Love Dalén, who is a member of Colossal’s advisory board.

But mapping a Woolly Mammoth’s DNA, as per IE’s coverage, was no easy task. It was akin to solving a puzzle with three billion pieces. Advanced technology enabled them to successfully model 28 chromosomes with unprecedented detail, as outlined in their research published in Cell earlier this year.

As of now, Dalén and his colleagues haven’t cracked the entire code yet, as “some strings of repeat code still prove challenging.” Nevertheless, with over 60 samples collected, they will assemble as complete a genome as possible and identify key cold-weather genes. Utilizing CRISPR or genetic scissors, they’ll modify a modern elephant’s genes, create an embryo as close to a Woolly Mammoth as possible, and implant it into an elephant surrogate.

“May prehistory thunder forward,” Colossal states on its website.

Bring back the Woolly Mammoth to save the planet

In an interview with Live Science, an ecologist defined the “why” of de-extinction as the desire to “fill ecological niches.” In other words, reintroducing long-lost megafauna species that played a crucial role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems, if not helping them flourish, “could help restore the ecosystem, boost carbon storage, and mitigate climate change.”

“The loss,” Colossal states , “of these cold-tolerant Mammoths” hindered the grassland’s ability to absorb carbon. They aim to reintroduce them into their former cold zones to mitigate these emissions and protect permafrost.

While this is an inspiring idea presented impressively, some find the notion of producing enough Mammoths to make a significant impact to be far-fetched. Whether the Earth can even “go back,” in a sense, to “the way it was,” or whether the Mammoth would even adapt well to our current climate remains a valid question.

“The ecosystem has been adapting to the absence of mammoths since mammoths started going extinct,” said Vincent Lynch, an evolutionary biologist and associate professor at the University at Buffalo. “What if there’s an unintended consequence and something bad happens?”

Regardless of whether it’s a viable conservation project or not, despite the controversy and hype, Colossal is closer than ever to realizing a genuine attempt to revitalize the Woolly Mammoth species. We’re likely to see the first hybrid baby by 2028. “It is highly likely that one could see another species before then,” Colossal co-found Ben Lamm concluded .