2 verifications about Colossal Biosciences Colossal Biosciences ×
“Colossal Biosciences is attempting to revive the woolly mammoth through genetic engineering.”
Multiple independent, high-authority sources — including AP News, Chemical & Engineering News, Forbes, and KNKX — confirm that Colossal Biosciences is actively pursuing woolly mammoth de-extinction through CRISPR-based genetic engineering. The company has demonstrated concrete milestones, such as engineering mammoth traits into mice, and has stated plans to edit Asian elephant genomes toward a mammoth-like animal. The claim describes an ongoing attempt, not an achieved result, and is well-supported by the evidence.
“Colossal Biosciences has successfully de-extincted the dire wolf.”
Colossal Biosciences has not de-extincted the dire wolf. The company's own chief scientist confirmed the animals are cloned gray wolves with roughly 20 gene edits targeting traits like size and coat — not resurrected members of the extinct genus Aenocyon dirus, which diverged from gray wolves millions of years ago. Independent experts and peer-reviewed commentary agree the result does not meet any credible scientific definition of de-extinction. The "dire wolf is back" framing reflects marketing, not biology.