The Dire Wolf Is Back: Inside The New Yorker’s Exclusive Feature on Colossal’s Genetic Breakthrough

The New Yorker offers an in-depth look at Colossal Biosciences’ most ambitious de-extinction effort yet: creating gene-edited dire wolves using traits derived from ancient DNA. Co-founded by Ben Lamm and George Church, Colossal achieved this milestone in under 18 months, giving rise to Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—crafting a new lineage rather than cloning the original species The New Yorker. This feature dives into the lab work, discussing how CRISPR, stem cell techniques, and surrogate biology were combined to engineer distinctive dire wolf traits. Beyond the science, the article reflects on the cultural resonance of the dire wolf—from Game of Thrones to Indigenous perspectives—while unearthing the ethical debates and conservation implications that accompany such transformative biotechnology

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