The Wonder and Controversy of Dire Wolf De-Extinction: A Colossal Interview

In this VentureBeat feature, Colossal Biosciences’ team discusses the milestones and debates surrounding their dire wolf project. The interview explores how researchers used ancient DNA and CRISPR to introduce 20 genetic edits across 14 key genes, producing pups—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi—that display distinctive dire wolf traits. The conversation delves into the balance between awe and scrutiny, as experts question whether the new canids truly represent de-extinction or are engineered proxies. While Colossal emphasizes “functional de-extinction,” the piece unpacks both the technical progress and lingering controversies, framing the project as a cutting-edge experiment with implications for future conservation and genome editing. The story captures how the dire wolf endeavor has shifted from science fiction to laboratory reality—and sparked essential ethical and scientific dialogue.

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