Immortalized in Game of Thrones, The dire wolf was a legendary predator of the Ice Age. And now it is walking the Earth again. Scientists from Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences have announced a breakthrough in de-extinction efforts. They used advanced cloning techniques to “bring back” this ancient beast. But is this really the dire wolf of the ancient times, or is it something entirely new?
Table of Contents:
- The Science Behind Cloning and De-extinction
- Should We Play God?
- The Future of De-extinction
The Science Behind Cloning and De-extinction
Unlike the first ever cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences used a different cloning technique. The scientists first analyzed ancient dire wolf genomes from teeth and skulls. Then, they compared them to grey wolves, which are their closest living relatives. They found 20 genetic differences across 14 genes responsible for the dire wolf’s larger size, white coat, wider head, and other traits. (https://time.com/7275439/science-behind-dire-wolf-return/)
Next, they edited those genes in gray wolf endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in a way that ensured safe expression whilst simultaneously avoided harmful side effects. For example, deafness or blindness are linked to coat color genes. Therefore, to express the dire wolf’s white coat, the scientists engineered other genes to not produce black and red pigmentation. (https://time.com/7275439/science-behind-dire-wolf-return/)
Finally, the edited nuclei were placed into gray wolf eggs, which grew into embryos. These were implanted into surrogate dogs and resulted in three live births—Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi. So, unfortunately, these wolf pups are gray wolf hybrids that probably only look slightly like the dire wolf. (https://time.com/7275439/science-behind-dire-wolf-return/)
Should We Play God?
We should consider many aspects of genetic engineering, especially since it makes us seem all powerful. On one hand, it can help cure genetic diseases or create more environmentally resistant crops. For the time being, these edits seem to not have huge, detrimental impacts on their respective environments. However, engineering already extinct animals is another matter.
The dire wolf, and other long extinct animals, existed in a world entirely different from ours and cannot exist in nature as they used to. So, spending a vast number of resources to revive them is counterintuitive considering that there are numerous species all around us on the brink of extinction. Therefore, it is not a true solution to the extinction of a species.
By using genetic engineering, we are meddling with nature itself, and we must carefully weigh the ethical consequences, ecological impacts, and unforeseen risks of altering life at its most fundamental level.
Is the Future of De-extinction found in Cloning?
Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences plans to bring back other extinct animals using the EPC cloning technology as well, such as the woolly mammoth that existed in the Ice Age. Nevertheless, it also plans on using this technology to help save the endangered animals of our time by increasing their genetic diversity.
As we stand on the brink of a new era in genetic engineering, one thing is clear: the future of de-extinction won’t just be about reviving the dead, but redefining life itself.
