August
16
/ 2024
Interview excerpt Amongst genetic engineering and de-extinction initiatives, Colossal Biosciences stands at the forefront. Recognized as one of the TIME100 most influential companies in 2023, it is a biotechnology company founded by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and geneticist George Church. Colossal focuses on using advanced genetic engineering techniques, notably CRISPR technology—a precise tool used by scientists to edit genes—to advance de-extinction efforts. In a development reminiscent of science fiction, one of its most ambitious projects aims to revive the Woolly Mammoth by integrating mammoth-like traits into the genomes of Asian elephants, effectively creating a hybrid species adapted for Arctic environments. This pioneering work has garnered massive media attention and funding, especially since the company managed to sequence the entire genome of
