WASHINGTON / BOSTON
Scientists have taken a significant and controversial step toward reviving the long-extinct woolly mammoth, after researchers confirmed the creation of what they describe as the most advanced mammoth-inspired embryos to date. While a fully viable woolly mammoth has not been born, experts say the latest breakthrough marks a turning point in the growing field of “de-extinction” science.
The work is being led by Colossal Biosciences, a U.S.-based biotechnology company that has been racing to re-engineer mammoth traits using modern genetic tools. The woolly mammoth, which disappeared roughly 4,000 years ago, has become the flagship species for scientists hoping to restore lost ecosystems by reintroducing animals adapted to extreme cold.
According to researchers, the team successfully created early-stage embryos carrying multiple genetic traits drawn from mammoth DNA, including genes linked to cold resistance, dense fur, and fat metabolism. These embryos were developed in laboratory conditions using advanced CRISPR gene-editing techniques applied to cells closely related to those of modern elephants.
Scientists stress that the embryos are not full mammoths. Instead, they are genetically edited embryos designed to test whether mammoth traits can be safely expressed in living organisms. Some of the embryos progressed to several hundred cells; a benchmark researchers say demonstrates that complex ancient genes can function together during early development.
To validate the process, scientists first tested their techniques on mice, producing what they have called “woolly mice,” animals engineered with thick fur and cold-adapted traits. These experiments helped confirm that the genetic edits could survive development without causing fatal abnormalities.
The long-term plan is far more ambitious. Colossal aims to eventually apply the same methods to Asian elephant cells, the mammoth’s closest living relative, with the goal of creating an elephant-mammoth hybrid capable of surviving Arctic conditions. Researchers are also exploring artificial womb technology to avoid ethical concerns associated with using live elephant surrogates.
The announcement has drawn both excitement and skepticism from the scientific community. Supporters argue the work could help combat climate change by restoring grassland ecosystems in the Arctic, potentially slowing permafrost melt. Critics, however, warn that reviving extinct species raises ethical, ecological, and welfare questions that science alone cannot answer.
Even the scientists involved urge caution. They acknowledge that a fully viable mammoth embryo capable of developing into a living animal has not yet been achieved, and that the challenges ahead remain enormous. Still, many agree the latest results show that de-extinction is no longer a distant idea but a real scientific frontier.
As research continues, the woolly mammoth is moving from the pages of prehistory toward the edge of modern possibility, raising profound questions about how far humanity should go in rewriting nature’s past.
Discover More BTS World Tour Sparks Global Economic and Travel Boom
Discover more from VyvyDaily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
