Colossal’s woolly mouse: biotech’s tiny step toward a mammoth comeback

Mice, mammoths, and mad science – Colossal’s latest experiment blurs the line between past and future.

Ever heard of the woolly mouse? Well, if not, then let’s introduce you to it right away, as genetics and biosciences company Colossal has recently mutated the fur of a woolly mammoth – which they loftily plan to resurrect by 2028 – onto a mouse.

The adorability factor may be through the roof, but is this the first step in clearing up the fallout that we’ve already caused?

Colossal CEO Ben Lamm told audiences at South by Southwest that humanity has a moral obligation to bring back extinct species, and the woolly mouse is the first step in this.

Engineering survival

While bringing back the woolly mammoth directly is highly unlikely, the mammoth-like hybrid that uses Asian elephant DNA could be a vital contributor in slowing permafrost thaw, especially in the Arctic regions.

Permafrost is soil or earth sediment that’s been frozen for over two years. When it thaws, due to rising temperatures, large amounts of CO2 and methane are released into the atmosphere.

The woolly mammoth could help reduce the thawing process by trampling the ground and knocking down trees. While this is scientifically plausible, it would depend on whether hybrid mammoths could even adapt if Colossal did manage to release them into the wild.

Colossal is also working on synthetic gene editing of the Tasmanian tiger, adapting its genetics to help it survive phenomena like disease or habitat loss.

Genes from its close relative, the Tasmanian Devil, are being modified using CRISPR technology – think of it like genetic scissors – to splice the DNA of the two animals and produce the best chance of survival.

Furthermore, by raising awareness of these three species – you can add the dodo to this exotic mix – commercial benefits could come to fruition. Wherever these species are reared, there’s potential for a dual benefit: educating tourists while profiting from de-extinction safaris.

Unnatural selection

Take a look at Colossal’s stated goal:

“In addition to bringing back ancient extinct species like the woolly mammoth, we will be able to leverage our technologies to help preserve critically endangered species that are on the verge of extinction and restore animals where humankind had a hand in their demise,” the CEO previously said.

Is it righteous to play God in such a case? These species have been gone for centuries, and there’s no guarantee their genetic makeup would allow them to survive in today’s (or tomorrow’s) changing climate.

The debate is undoubtedly a tug-of-war over whether it’s our moral obligation to resurrect lost breeds or whether we’re messing with forces we don’t fully understand.

Unintended consequences could include disrupting the food chain – for example, woolly mammoths’ grazing habits altering the status quo – or genetic alterations creating reproductive obstacles.

Factor in that splicing genes between the Tasmanian tiger and devil could result in a more aggressive version, potentially threatening smaller species as a result.

Then there’s public perception. Distasteful hype could push Jurassic Park comparisons, even if that’s way too much of a leap.

So let’s not start panicking about rampaging mammoths just yet – one small step for mice, one giant leap for mammoth-kind.