Researchers claim to have revived ancient dire wolves.
Resurrecting the Dire Wolf: A Pioneering Breakthrough in De-Extinction
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Cue the drama—a species thought to be long gone for over 12,500 years has been brought back to life thanks to state-of-the-art technology at Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences. These are the dire wolves, once top predators that roamed North America.
By harnessing ancient DNA, together with cloning and gene-editing tech, scientists at Colossal have crafted three adorable dire wolf pups, using an agreeable gray wolf – the dire wolf's closest living relative – as the canvas for this impressive fossil art project. 🦾
Now, if you're an avid "Game of Thrones" fan, prepare to be all "OMG, can I pet one?!" The fiercesome canine on the show was inspired by the real-life dire wolf, Aenocyon dirus. These bad boys were larger than your average/ordinary wolves and featured a wider head, furrier coat and a jaw that'd make a doberman whimper with fear, according to Colossal.
Colossal's been eager to bring back other extinct critters such as mammoths, dodos and Tasmanian tigers since 2021. But until now, their dire wolf project had been kept under wraps. Sssshhhh... it's a secret!
Ben Lamm, Colossal's co-founder and CEO, couldn't contain his excitement: "You won't believe your eyes! Our end-to-end de-extinction technology is real, and these healthy dire wolf puppies are just the beginning." So, he took an ancient dire wolf tooth and a skull dating back 72,000 years and... voilà!
The tiniest terror trio resides on a secured 2,000-acre site shrouded in mystery and guarded by tall 10-foot fences. Yes, they're that important. Keeping an eye on these little time travelers are security teams, drones, and constant camera feeds. Rest easy knowing these critters have earned the American Humane Society's seal of approval and are registered with the US Department of Agriculture. 🐺🦴
Ancient DNA Fossils and De-extinction Magic
Colossal's scientists extracted ancient DNA from two dire wolf fossils and, with the help of collaborators, assembled complete genetic sets for the species. After comparing these with those of modern canids, they zeroed in on specific dire wolf traits like white coats and longer, thicker fur.
Armed with this knowledge, they set out to alter gray wolf cells, making 20 edits to 14 genes. After cloning these genetically-edited cells and transferring them into donor eggs, voilà! Healthy developing embryos burst onto the scene, eventually resulting in the births of the first successfully de-extinct species. Wondering who stepped up to the plate as surrogate mama bears? The jury's still out, although some reports are hinting at domestic dogs.
The two baby boys made their grand entrance on October 1, 2024, while a little lady arrived on January 30, 2025. BOOYAH! 🎈
Gene editing for De-extinction: The Magic Sauce
Through a blend of CRISPR magic and surgical precision, Colossal essentially created a hybrid genome by purging gray wolf gene variants and replacing them with dire wolf trait markers. Love Dalén, a professor in evolutionary genomics from Stockholm University and an adviser to Colossal, spilled the beans:
"This pup’s genes tell its dire wolf story. Although it's still predominantly gray wolf at the DNA level, the directional edits make it look like it emerged straight from a prehistoric time capsule." Dalén wasn't directly involved in the gene editing or cloning process but, as a scientific advisor, he's been a silent spectator to this groundbreaking experiment.
Whenever the dire wolves are ready to mingle and expand their family portraits, they'll need a surrogate mom. After experimenting with a new, less invasive method of cloning during their dire wolf project, Colossal successfully produced two litters of red wolf pups – the most critically endangered wolf species.
Scientists at Colossal Biosciences, possibly taking precautions to ensure a successful de-extinction process, might consider transferring genes from the cloned dire wolf embryos into red wolf surrogates for continued propagation of the dire wolf species. Though probably not immediately, one might expect the dire wolves to exhibit the distinct traits characteristic of their extinct ancestors, such as white coats and longer, thicker fur, due to the edits made to specific genes during genome engineering. With the successful de-extinction of dire wolves, it raises questions regarding the potential for de-extinction of other extinct species like mammoths, dodos, and Tasmanian tigers, which Colossal has expressed interest in since 2021.
