Scientists have created mice with genes changed to resemble woolly mammoths, extinct giants from long ago, MIT Technology Review reports (unpaywalled copy).

Colossal Biosciences, a company started four years ago, leads this work. The scientists have described the methods and results of this study in a preprint published on bioRxiv.

Beth Shapiro, the company’s chief science officer, says this is a milestone in bringing back lost species, known as de-extinction. This work shows that scientists can make healthy animals with the traits they want.

The goal isn’t to fully recreate a woolly mammoth. Instead, they aim for “functional de-extinction,” making an elephant that acts like a mammoth. This animal could live in cold, harsh places and help nature by spreading plant seeds. Shapiro hopes it might fight climate change. Ancient mammoth DNA, found in frozen remains, guides their work. They plan to edit elephant genes to match it someday.

For now, they test on mice. Mice have short pregnancies, just 20 days, unlike elephants’ 22 months. This speeds up research. Scientists already know a lot about mouse genes, like those for long, wavy fur. They picked 10 genes linked to mammoth traits and used CRISPR, a gene-editing tool, to change them. Some mice got edits as embryos; others had edited cells added. In total, 34 healthy pups were born.

A mammoth-like elephant in a few years?

Colossal wants a mammoth-like animal by 2027 or 2028. Shapiro says they’re on track, but biology can be slow. Other experts doubt the plan, saying we can’t be sure these animals will help nature, and also that the plan might take 10 years.

The mice look woolly, but can they survive cold? The team will test this with diets and temperatures. If successful, the result won’t be a pure mammoth – just a new creature. How it behaves or affects nature remains unclear. Colossal also works on the dodo and thylacine, plus saving species like the pink pigeon with gene edits. Ancient DNA might hold answers, offering hope for a healthier planet.

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