Texas company makes major breakthrough in de-extinction of dodo bird
Reviving the Dodo Bird: A Breakthrough in De-Extinction
Scientists at a Texas-based company have achieved a significant milestone in the realm of de-extinction by making progress towards bringing back the dodo bird, which went extinct almost 300 years ago.
Colossal Biosciences announced on Wednesday that researchers had successfully grown pigeon primordial germ cells, a crucial step in the process of reviving the dodo bird.
According to Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm, this breakthrough in deriving culture conditions for pigeon primordial germ cells marks a major advancement in the field of de-extinction.
Lamm further added that Colossal’s investment in de-extinction technology is driving discovery and developing tools for both de-extinction and conservation efforts.
The company’s Avian Genetic Group described this achievement as a pivotal step towards bringing back the flightless bird that vanished from the Earth in 1662.
Anna Keyte, Avian Species Director at Colossal, emphasized the significance of the discovery of a new cell culture recipe for pigeons, which expands avian reproductive technologies and lays the foundation for dodo de-extinction.
Colossal, with the support of investors like Chris Hemsworth, Nicholas Braun, and Paris Hilton, aims to raise $120 million to bring back not only the dodo but also other extinct species like the woolly mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, dire wolf, and the South Island Giant Moa.
In collaboration with Peter Jackson, Colossal is working on reviving the Moa, a species native to New Zealand. They have also claimed to have successfully revived the dire wolf earlier this year.
With ambitious plans to produce woolly mammoth calves by 2028, Colossal is at the forefront of de-extinction efforts, pushing boundaries and reshaping the future of conservation.
