A science company in Texas says the woolly mammoth might walk the earth again by the year 2027. The company is called Colossal. It uses gene editing to bring back animals that went extinct. The woolly mammoth is one of their biggest projects that the scientists plan to complete soon. These animals lived thousands of years ago. Now, Colossal wants to create new ones using old DNA. Their goal is not just to bring the mammoth back. They also want to help the Arctic and fight climate change.
Colossal Has Big Plans and Big Funding for This Project
Colossal is based in Dallas. It started working on this idea in 2021. Last year, it received $60 million to keep going. The company calls the mammoth a “cold-resistant elephant.” That means it can live in cold places like the Arctic. Colossal believes the mammoth helped the Arctic stay healthy a long time ago. So now they want to bring it back to do the same job again. They believe this could help nature and slow down climate change. To achieve this, scientists plan to use advanced gene editing techniques.
Why the Arctic Needs the Woolly Mammoth Again
The woolly mammoth didn’t just live in the Arctic. It moved around a lot. These movements helped the land. When mammoths walked and ate plants, they shaped the ground. They helped other plants grow and made room for more animals. Colossal says this kind of natural work is missing now. That’s one reason why the Arctic is warming so fast. By bringing back the mammoth, they hope to bring back balance to that part of the world. Scientists plan to monitor the reintroduced mammoths closely.
Woolly Mammoths Share DNA With Asian Elephants
One reason Colossal feels sure about this project is because the woolly mammoth and the Asian elephant are nearly the same. Their DNA matches 99.6%. That makes it easier to edit the genes and recreate the mammoth. Scientists have already found strong DNA samples from frozen mammoths. They are now editing these genes in the lab. They believe they will soon be able to grow a mammoth embryo. This is the first big step in bringing the animal back to life. This is a crucial part of what the scientists plan for the future.
A New Mammoth May Be Born From an Elephant
After they create a mammoth embryo, the plan is to place it inside an African elephant. This kind of elephant is big and can carry the baby safely. The elephant would give birth to the new mammoth. That baby would be the first woolly mammoth born in thousands of years. If it works, Colossal will try to create more. Then, they will send some of them to the Arctic to live in the wild and help fix the land. Clearly, the scientists plan to rely on both technology and nature.
This May Also Help Other Plants and Animals
The company believes the new mammoths will help more than just the cold ground. They will also help plants grow better. When the mammoths move around and eat, they help spread seeds. They also break the snow and ice with their feet. This helps new plants push through the ground. These small changes could make a big difference. It may even help other animals find more food and shelter in the Arctic.
Colossal Is Also Trying to Bring Back Other Lost Animals
Colossal isn’t stopping with the woolly mammoth. The team is also working on bringing back the thylacine. That animal is also called the Tasmanian tiger. It once lived in Australia. It went extinct about 90 years ago. Just like the mammoth, scientists are using gene editing to bring it back. If they succeed, we could see more of these old animals return to the world.
New Questions Are Coming With This Science
If Colossal really does bring back the woolly mammoth, people will have many questions. Where will these animals live? How will we take care of them? What if they get sick or don’t fit into the land anymore? These are hard questions with no easy answers. Some people say it’s wrong to bring back extinct animals. Others say it’s a smart way to help nature. This new science is exciting, but also risky. Still, Colossal is moving forward with hope. The scientists plan to address these challenges as they arise.
