Company Takes Major Step Toward Genetically Resurrecting Woolly Mammoth
In a groundbreaking development, Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Dallas, has announced that it has successfully produced a line of Asian elephant stem cells that can be transformed into other types of cells needed to recreate the extinct woolly mammoth. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the company’s ambitious project to genetically resurrect the mammoth and potentially repopulate the Arctic tundra with this magnificent creature.
The project, led by George Church, a Harvard geneticist and co-founder of Colossal, aims to bring back vanished animals as a way to rectify humanity’s role in the ongoing extinction crisis. The breakthroughs in this field not only hold promise for extinct species but also have potential benefits for endangered animals like elephants. However, the challenges of bringing a living mammoth into existence are immense, and ethical questions loom large.
The Technical Challenges
During the last ice age, woolly mammoths roamed across Eurasia and North America, reaching as far south as the modern-day Midwest. Some mammoth carcasses were preserved in icy tundra, providing paleontologists with DNA fragments. In 2015, scientists sequenced the mammoth’s genetic blueprint, offering a potential manual for recreating the species. However, understanding the function of each gene and its contribution to the mammoth’s unique characteristics required elephant stem cells that could be engineered with mammoth DNA.
Producing the necessary stem cells proved to be a formidable task. Elephant cells’ ability to avoid cancer made reprogramming them challenging. Colossal overcame this hurdle by suppressing the anti-cancer genes and using a specific chemical cocktail to produce the required stem cells. While the company’s findings are yet to be peer-reviewed, their achievement represents a significant step forward in the de-extinction project.
The Ethical Dilemma
While the possibility of bringing back the mammoth is captivating, there are ethical concerns that cannot be ignored. Heather Browning, a philosopher at the University of Southampton, raises questions about the welfare of these resurrected animals. The lack of knowledge about mammoths’ social and cultural interactions poses a challenge. Modern elephants, highly social beings, pass down survival skills and knowledge from one generation to the next. Without elders to guide them, resurrected mammoths may struggle to learn how to be mammoths.
Moreover, the process of gestating and giving birth to a new mammoth will undoubtedly impose hardships on surrogate elephants. Tori Herridge, a paleobiologist at the University of Sheffield, questions the number of elephants that may need to die in the pursuit of a single woolly mammoth. Colossal’s long-term goal is to use artificial wombs for gestation, but this technology presents its own set of challenges.
The Conservation Argument
Colossal argues that bringing back the mammoth can have significant ecological benefits, particularly in combating climate change. The company suggests that future Arctic herds of mammoths could help prevent permafrost thawing and the release of carbon into the atmosphere. By restoring the environment to its original state, mammoths could serve as a keystone species in the Arctic.
However, critics like Matthew Cobb, a zoologist at the University of Manchester, question the efficacy of this approach. Cobb argues that hunting, habitat destruction, and conflicts with humans pose more immediate threats to elephants than climate change. He questions how a greater understanding of cell biology will address these pressing issues.
The Philosophical Conundrum
Beyond the scientific and ethical considerations, there is a philosophical question surrounding the resurrection of the mammoth. Is a bioengineered mammoth truly a mammoth or merely a cold-tolerant elephant? The distinction between the two is crucial. If the woolly mammoth’s extinction was a result of the natural end of the last ice age rather than human overhunting, resurrecting the species may be futile if the Arctic is no longer suitable for their survival.
Tori Herridge expresses a desire to witness mammoths in their natural habitat but acknowledges that this is an impossibility. The landscape in which they evolved has vanished, leaving us with the challenge of recreating a species that may not truly belong in the world as it exists today.
Conclusion
Colossal Biosciences’ achievement in producing Asian elephant stem cells capable of transforming into mammoth-like cells represents a significant step toward genetically resurrecting the woolly mammoth. However, the challenges that lie ahead are immense, both technically and ethically. The welfare of these resurrected animals and their ability to adapt to their environment are valid concerns.
While the conservation argument for bringing back the mammoth is compelling, critics argue that addressing more immediate threats to elephants should take precedence. The philosophical question of whether a bioengineered mammoth is truly a mammoth adds another layer of complexity to the debate.
As Colossal continues its research and development, it remains to be seen
