Scientists genetically revive extinct 'dire wolves'
A 'de-extinction' company has engineered the species made popular by HBO's 'Game of Thrones'


What happened
Colossal Biosciences, the "de-extinction" company that gained prominence seeking to revive the woolly mammoth, said Monday it had genetically engineered three dire wolves — or at least wolf pups with many traits of the extinct species. Dire wolves, popularized in "Game of Thrones" and other fantasy media, ran wild in North America until they went extinct about 13,000 years ago.
Who said what
The three pups — Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi — were created by modifying 20 genes of the gray wolf, the dire wolf's closest living relative, based on DNA extracted from a dire wolf tooth and skull. The modified DNA was transferred to a domestic dog egg cell then implanted in surrogate dog mothers who gave birth to the pups.
Colossal said the pups have thick white fur and are 20% bigger than gray wolves their age, among other differences. The company called the project the world's first successful de-extinction effort, but these aren't full dire wolves and won't live and hunt like their extinct ancestors. "They are essentially living the Ritz Carlton lifestyle of a wolf," said Colossal chief scientist Beth Shapiro. With extinct species, University of Buffalo biologist Vincent Lynch told The Associated Press, "all you can do now is make something look superficially like something else."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Colossal plans to create more dire wolves to study how they act in packs, and observe the three pups to see how big they get and how they change with age. "I'm fascinated to see what happens," Shapiro told The New York Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
An ancient Israeli cave teaches new archaeological lessons
The Explainer The cave is believed to be one of the world's oldest burial sites
-
Music reviews: Tyler Childers and Madonna
Feature "Snipe Hunter" and "Veronica Electronica"
-
Art review: Noah Davis
Feature Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, through Aug. 31
-
Scientists discover cause of massive sea star die-off
Speed Read A bacteria related to cholera has been found responsible for the deaths of more than 5 billion sea stars
-
'Thriving' ecosystem found 30,000 feet undersea
Speed Read Researchers discovered communities of creatures living in frigid, pitch-black waters under high pressure
-
What would happen to Earth if humans went extinct?
The Explainer Human extinction could potentially give rise to new species and climates
-
Bad news, alpha males. You likely don't actually exist.
Under the radar Most primate communities are egalitarian
-
Scientists and Peter Jackson attempt to bring back an extinct bird — kind of
In the Spotlight Colossal Biosciences was the company behind the 'resurrected' dire wolves
-
Retro tomatoes: a species of the plant is evolving backward
Under the radar Environmental factors may play a role
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'
In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
Bacteria can turn plastic waste into a painkiller
Under the radar The process could be a solution to plastic pollution