Rob Stein

Well, because someday some scientists want to bring a mammoth-like creature itself back from extinction.

Well, because someday some scientists want to bring a mammoth-like creature itself back from extinction.

Yes, exactly. These scientists, they work at a Dallas biotech company called Colossal Biosciences. And they say these little woolly mice are a key step towards that audacious, and I have to say quite controversial, goal.

Yes, exactly. These scientists, they work at a Dallas biotech company called Colossal Biosciences. And they say these little woolly mice are a key step towards that audacious, and I have to say quite controversial, goal.

Yes, exactly. These scientists, they work at a Dallas biotech company called Colossal Biosciences. And they say these little woolly mice are a key step towards that audacious, and I have to say quite controversial, goal.

So to answer that, I have to start with the mammoths. Okay. Colossal Biosciences wants to bring the mammoth back by using the latest genetic engineering techniques to create modern-day elephants with key traits from the mammoth. Cool. You know, traits like their signature thick coat and their fat metabolism that kept them warm in the Arctic.

So to answer that, I have to start with the mammoths. Okay. Colossal Biosciences wants to bring the mammoth back by using the latest genetic engineering techniques to create modern-day elephants with key traits from the mammoth. Cool. You know, traits like their signature thick coat and their fat metabolism that kept them warm in the Arctic.

So to answer that, I have to start with the mammoths. Okay. Colossal Biosciences wants to bring the mammoth back by using the latest genetic engineering techniques to create modern-day elephants with key traits from the mammoth. Cool. You know, traits like their signature thick coat and their fat metabolism that kept them warm in the Arctic.

So they started by comparing genomes from samples of ancient DNA recovered from mammoth remains with genomes from living African and Asian elephants, the mammoths' closest living relatives.

So they started by comparing genomes from samples of ancient DNA recovered from mammoth remains with genomes from living African and Asian elephants, the mammoths' closest living relatives.

So they started by comparing genomes from samples of ancient DNA recovered from mammoth remains with genomes from living African and Asian elephants, the mammoths' closest living relatives.

That's Beth Shapiro, the chief science officer at Colossal.

That's Beth Shapiro, the chief science officer at Colossal.

That's Beth Shapiro, the chief science officer at Colossal.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Exactly. And they narrowed down that list of candidate genes to 10 genes for the coat and the fat. Okay. But they wanted to make sure that the genes they had identified were really responsible for the traits that they wanted.

Exactly. And they narrowed down that list of candidate genes to 10 genes for the coat and the fat. Okay. But they wanted to make sure that the genes they had identified were really responsible for the traits that they wanted.

Exactly. And they narrowed down that list of candidate genes to 10 genes for the coat and the fat. Okay. But they wanted to make sure that the genes they had identified were really responsible for the traits that they wanted.