Woolly Mammoths? Let’s Start with Woolly Mice

Bringing back the woolly mammoth sounds impressive, until you realize we’re still stuck at furry lab mice. If Jurassic Park taught us anything, it’s that playing with prehistoric DNA is rarely straightforward.

Colossal Biosciences, the company behind mammoth de-extinction efforts, has successfully engineered woolly mice by modifying genes related to hair texture, color, and fat metabolism.

Using CRISPR gene editing, scientists introduced mammoth-like traits into mice, a step toward modifying Asian elephants for cold tolerance. But does woolly fur equal mammoth survival? Critics argue complex mammoth traits go beyond hair, requiring behavioral and physiological adaptations.

• Mammoth genes weren’t inserted, only mouse genes were edited.
• Hair modifications succeeded, but cold tolerance remains untested.
• De-extinction remains distant, with key challenges still unsolved.

Science is pushing the boundaries of genetic engineering, but should we bring back species, or focus on saving those we have? What’s the real ethical and ecological priority?

Read the full article on The Guardian.

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