'They didn't de-extinct anything': can Colossal's genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing?

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Colossal's De-extinction Dreams: Have They Delivered?

The hype surrounding Colossal Biosciences' de-extinction claims has been nothing short of meteoric. In 2025, the company's billionaire CEO Ben Lamm unveiled plans to bring back the dire wolf and other extinct species, sparking international headlines and public fervour. Enthusiastic profiles in Time magazine and the New Yorker declared "the dire wolf is back", with Colossal's CEO confidently predicting a fan favourite.

However, beneath the surface of Colossal's de-extinction announcements lies a more nuanced reality. The company has made 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves, creating animals that do not substantially differ from those roaming North America today. This begs the question: have Colossal truly brought back anything, or are they simply engineering poor copies?

Leading experts in the field have voiced concerns about Colossal's methods, warning against spreading misinformation and undermining trust in science. "Extinction is still for ever," says Nic Rawlence, director of the palaeogenetics laboratory at the University of Otago. "Rather than true de-extinction, Colossal's attempts are genetically engineered poor copies at best."

The company's chief scientist Beth Shapiro acknowledges that it's impossible to bring something back that is identical to a species that used to be alive. Instead, Colossal's animals are grey wolves with 20 edits inserted through genetic engineering.

Critics argue that the hype surrounding de-extinction technology can weaken trust in science and distract from more pressing conservation issues. "De-extinction technology could be a useful conservation tool for living species," says Rawlence, "but it won't replace unsexy grunt work."

While Colossal's harshest critics acknowledge the potential of gene editing to save species caught in genetic bottlenecks, they stress that traditional conservation efforts – controlling predators, protecting ecosystems and restoring habitats – remain essential.

As Colossal pushes forward with its ambitious plans, including the unveiling of a genetically modified Asian elephant adapted to live at -40C (-40F), some scientists are left wondering: have the promises delivered? Have Colossal truly brought back anything, or is it just a case of Silicon Valley showmanship and entrepreneurial drive?

One thing is certain – the debate over de-extinction technology is far from over.
 
I gotta say tho 🤔, I'm low-key disappointed in Colossal's approach to de-extinction. 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves? That's like trying to remake a 90s pop song without the original artist 😂. It's still just a shadow of what we lost.

And Nic Rawlence is right on point 🙌, extinction ain't something you can just "bring back" with some fancy gene editing. There's more to conservation than just playing God.

I'm all for exploring new tech and methods, but let's not forget about the science behind it 💡. Colossal needs to be more transparent about their process and results, and less concerned with getting headlines 📰.

It's like they're trying to sell us a hype train that's more excitement than actual progress 🚂. I hope they can deliver on their promises, but for now, I'm keeping my expectations in check 😊.
 
idk what's going on with colossal biosciences tho... they're all hyped up about bringin back extinct species but its like, how much do we really know about those animals in the first place? i mean, dire wolves might've been super different from their grey wolf cousins lol. and 20 edits to the dna? that sounds like a recipe for disaster 🤔. what's the point of even callin it de-extinction if its just gonna be some poor copycat?
 
I'm so sorry I missed this thread 🤦‍♀️. But honestly, what's the point of de-extinction if it's just gonna be a poor copy? I mean, like, we've got real issues with species preservation and ecosystems, but Colossal is all about showmanship and hype 🎢. It feels like they're more interested in being cool than actually making a difference.

And don't even get me started on the ethics of playing God with nature 🔬. Can we really just "bring back" extinct species without considering the ripple effects? It's not that simple, right? I'm all for exploring new tech and conservation methods, but let's take a step back and assess what we're doing here.

I guess I'm just old-fashioned 😜, but it feels like Colossal is more concerned with their PR than actual science. Still, I suppose we'll see how this whole thing plays out... 🤔
 
I'm not sure if Colossal's de-extinction dreams are all hype or genuine attempts to revive extinct species... 🤔 It's like, we're so excited about bringing back the dire wolf that we've forgotten about the harsh realities of conservation. I mean, think about it – what even is the point of reviving an old species when our ecosystems are still struggling with human impact? 🌎 We need to take a step back and ask ourselves if de-extinction is just a fancy distraction from the real work that needs to be done.

And let's not forget, these animals aren't exactly "back" – they're genetic copies that'll never truly thrive in the wild. It's like we're playing God with nature, trying to fix what isn't broken. 🌿 I'm all for innovation and pushing boundaries, but when does science stop being science and start being showmanship? Is Colossal's focus on de-extinction just a case of Silicon Valley's ego getting in the way of actual progress?

I guess what I'm saying is that we need to have a more nuanced conversation about de-extinction – one that acknowledges both its potential benefits and its limitations. We can't just gloss over the complexities of conservation without acknowledging the elephant in the room... or, you know, the grey wolf in this case! 🐺
 
I'm tellin' ya, I was so hyped when I heard about Colossal's de-extinction plans 🤯! I mean, who wouldn't want to see those majestic dire wolves roaming free again? But now that I think about it, I'm gettin' a little skeptical 🤔. I mean, 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves? That's like tryin' to recreate a pizza from scratch using only leftover toppings 🍕👀.

And what's with all this hype around "true de-extinction"? I think these companies are gettin' caught up in the tech and forgettin' about the actual science 💻. Nic Rawlence says it best, imo - we're talkin' genetic engineering poor copies at best 🤦‍♂️.

I'm all for savin' species, but let's not forget that traditional conservation efforts are still where it's at 🔒. Restore habitats, control predators, the works! That's the real magic 💫. I mean, don't get me wrong, gene editing can be a tool, but it's not a silver bullet 🚀.

And what's next? Genetically modified Asian elephants at -40C? That's just wild ❄️! I'm all for innovation, but let's take a step back and think this one through 💡. Have Colossal truly delivered? I'm still on the fence about it 👎.
 
omg can you imagine having to babysit a 20 edit grey wolf 🤣 like they're some kinda genetic toddler needing constant edits... i mean what's next, dna lip fillers? 💄🦁 colossals got some 'splainin' to do, but i gotta give it to them, the hype train is still rolling and people are entertained 🚂👀
 
I'm not sure about these de-extinction claims by Colossal, tbh 🤔 #DeExtinctionDebate. I mean, they're creating 'new' wolves that are basically just grey wolves with a few tweaks 💡 #GeneticEngineering. It's all good and well until we start talking about what it means for conservation efforts and the impact on ecosystems 🌿 #EcologicalBalance.

I think the hype surrounding this is kinda scary, you know? If people get too excited about tech being able to 'bring back' extinct species, they might forget about the actual work that goes into saving living creatures 🐝 #ConservationMatters. Colossal's got some good points, though - gene editing can be a game-changer for species in danger 🦊 #SpeciesSurvival.

But at the end of the day, I'm just not convinced that Colossal's de-extinction dreams have delivered 💸 #DisappointedInvestor. What do you guys think? Have they really brought back anything, or is it just showmanship? 🤷‍♀️
 
I gotta say, I'm both stoked and skeptical about this whole de-extinction thing 🤔💡 Colossal's trying to bring back some extinct species, but let's be real, it's not like they're bringing back the real deal, you know? Those grey wolves are more like... modified versions of themselves 😒. I mean, can we really say that's true de-extinction when it's just 20 edits away from the original?

And don't even get me started on the hype 🚨. I mean, Time magazine and the New Yorker were all over this like a bad rash 🤣. I'm not saying Colossal doesn't deserve some credit for trying to make conservation more accessible, but let's keep it real – this is just the tip of the iceberg (pun intended ❄️).

It's also kinda wild that they're using genetic engineering as a shortcut instead of focusing on actual conservation efforts 🤷‍♂️. I mean, those scientists are right – traditional methods might be more boring, but they get the job done 🔩.

But hey, at least Colossal's trying to push the boundaries of science and all that 💡. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll have a real-life Jurassic Park 🦖 (just kidding... or am I?) 😉
 
🤔 I'm all for the idea of bringing back extinct species, but let's not get too carried away with the hype. Colossal's approach just seems a bit... lazy? 🐺 I mean, 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves isn't exactly going to revolutionize conservation efforts. And have we really thought through the implications of releasing these "de-extinct" animals into the wild? What about their habitats, their prey, their predators? It's like they're just throwing a bunch of genetic Lego blocks together and hoping for the best 🧮.

And don't even get me started on the cost. Billions of dollars spent on playing God with DNA? That could be better spent on actual conservation efforts in the field. I'm not saying de-extinction tech isn't cool, but let's keep our feet on the ground and our eyes on the prize. 🌎
 
I mean, i'm still waiting for these genetically engineered dire wolves to become a thing in real life 🤔. 20 edits to the DNA and they're basically just grey wolves with some cool mutations? That doesn't really seem like 'bringing back' anything to me. And isn't it weird that Colossal's animals are more alike to the ones we have today than the ones that used to be extinct? 🙃
 
🐺💡 I'm so hyped about the dire wolf de-extinction project by Colossal Biosciences! 🤩 But, like, seriously though, have they actually brought back anything or are they just messing with our heads? 🙃 20 DNA edits to grey wolves doesn't seem like a whole lot, you know? I mean, we're still waiting for those genetically modified Asian elephants to survive in -40C temps... that's some next-level sci-fi right there! 😂 But for real tho, I think it's cool that Colossal is pushing the boundaries of science and trying to make a difference. We just need to keep things in perspective and remember that extinction isn't something we can just "bring back" 🌎💚
 
I don't think they've really brought back the dire wolf 🐺, it's like they're playing genetic Lego blocks 🧮, just making some changes to existing grey wolves. I mean, come on, 20 edits? That's not de-extinction, that's gene editing 🤔! And what's with the hype? We should be focusing on actual conservation efforts, like habitat preservation and species reintroduction, not playing around with genes in a lab. I'm all for innovation, but let's keep our feet on the ground 😂. Nic Rawlence is spot on, it's just engineering poor copies 🤖.
 
I'm skeptical about Colossal's claims 🤔. I mean, 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves isn't exactly bringing back a species that roams free in the wild, you know? It's like they're just messing around with some genetic tweaks 🧬. And what happens when these "de-extinct" animals don't adapt to their new environment? Are they gonna thrive or be another failed experiment? 💔 I'd rather see Colossal focus on more pressing conservation issues that actually help species in real need, you know?
 
idk about colossals deextinction claims 🤔 they made grey wolves with 20 edits? that's not exactly bringin back the real deal 🐺 what's next, clone a mammoth and call it good 👀
 
I gotta say, I'm kinda underwhelmed by Colossal's whole de-extinction thing 🤔. I mean, they're making animals that are basically just normal wolves with some extra DNA tweaks... it doesn't feel like we're really bringing back extinct species or anything 💀.

And don't even get me started on the hype surrounding this stuff - it's like, okay, cool science and all, but can we please focus on actual conservation efforts instead of just showing off our tech skills 🙄? I mean, wouldn't it be better if Colossal was using their resources to help protect endangered species that are actually in danger?

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not entirely sure what the point of all this de-extinction craziness is... are we trying to prove something? Are we just trying to make a buck off some cool sci-fi tech? 🤑 Either way, it feels kinda misleading and I wish Colossal would just be honest about their goals instead of making all these promises they might not even be able to keep 😐.

I do think gene editing can be a useful tool for conservation, though - it's just that we need to make sure we're using it the right way 🤗. And can we please just have some real discussion about this stuff without all the hype and showmanship? 📢
 
🤔 I'm so done with Colossal's hype surrounding de-extinction. They're basically creating genetically engineered clones that are barely different from their wild counterparts 🐺. Like, what's the point of bringing back a species if you're just gonna make them slightly better? It's not like they're solving any real conservation problems 🌎. And don't even get me started on the fact that they're trying to sell us on this tech as some kinda miracle solution 💸. The thing is, it's just not that simple. Extinction is a big deal and it takes more than just some fancy gene editing to fix it 🌟. Give me some real conservation efforts any day 🐻💚
 
idk about colossals claims 🤔... seems like they're more focused on creating animals that are kinda similar to the originals, rather than actually bringing back extinct species 🐺. it's all good and well for the hype, but what about the actual science behind it? some experts are saying it's just genetic engineering, not true de-extinction 🧬... meanwhile, we've got more pressing issues like habitat loss and climate change to worry about 🌎
 
I dont think colossals gonna deliver on ther deextinction plans 🐺💔 ben lamm and his team r more worried about gettin buzz than actually makin somethin real happen. i mean, 20 edits to the dna of grey wolves? that aint deextinction, thats just genetic engineering 😒. its all about hype at this point. ther needs to be more emphasis on conservation efforts that dont require a multi mil kinda bill 💸. and btw, who says dire wolf is even back? hasnt seen any real evidence yet 🤔
 
I'm not sure I buy into all this hype around de-extinction 🤔. I mean, Colossal's been making 20 edits to grey wolf DNA, but are those changes really going to bring back a real dire wolf? It just seems like they're creating some new breed that's almost identical to the original, but not quite 🐺. And let's be real, if we can't even get it right with something as relatively simple as a wolf, how's that gonna work for bigger, more complex species like elephants? I'm all for conservation efforts, but shouldn't we be focusing on protecting and preserving what we've got first?
 
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