Colossal Biosciences' mission to reawaken Earth's lost wilds

Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, recently shared insights in a lively interview on the TechStuff podcast, hosted by Oz Woloshyn.
The Dallas-based biotech firm is making headlines with its bold mission to resurrect extinct species. This included the dire wolf and woolly mammoth through pioneering genetic engineering.
Lamm addressed the ethical debates head-on. When accused of 'playing God,' he fired back, 'We play God every day.
Taking cholesterol medication is playing God on a personal level. Cutting down rainforests or overfishing oceans is playing God. So why not do it in a way that helps conservation and inspires science?'
His frankness cuts through the noise, positioning Colossal's work as a natural extension of humanity's ongoing impact on nature.
The company's first breakthrough came with the dire wolf. Lamm described the moment he saw the pups at five weeks old as deeply emotional.
'I got chills bumps. I teared up. It's very, very emotional.' The viral video of the dire wolf pups howling even moved Peter Jackson.
The Lord of the Rings director and Colossal investor, was 'overwhelmed' seeing them for the first time, according to Time Magazine.
Colossal's approach is rigorous and ethical. Lamm emphasised their 90 %+ efficiency in genome editing, achieved without unintended side effects.
'We read the DNA at every step. It's computationally heavy and costly, but we ensure every embryo is healthy.
We're certified by the American Humane Society because we care about animal welfare and conservation,' he said.
The company also sparked public fascination with its 'woolly mice' — a genetically engineered mouse with mammoth traits created in just one month.
Lamm joked that the mice 'were objectively cute and took the Internet by storm,' proving their process works.
He confirmed that similar edits have been made in Asian elephant cells. This is the closest living relative of the woolly mammoth, with hopes to bring a mammoth equivalent to term soon.
Lamm called out what he sees as hypocrisy in popular culture. 'People love Jurassic Park's dinosaurs but don't want to call our dire wolves dire wolves.
It's a semantic question, not scientific. It's a human construct.' This highlights the cultural challenges Colossal faces in gaining acceptance for de-extinction.
With half the world's species forecasted to be extinct or endangered within 25 years, Lamm's vision offers hope through technology.
His mission goes beyond spectacle; it aims to restore ecosystems and inspire new generations in science and conservation.
Colossal Biosciences is reshaping how we think about nature, responsibility, and the future of biodiversity.
As Lamm puts it, 'Sometimes when you work on new things, it's scary and hard. But I'm not backing off the mission.'
This pioneering blend of cutting-edge science and bold vision could soon change the natural world
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

eNCA

4 hours ago

• eNCA

Bringing ocean science to rural communities

CAPE TOWN - The UN Ocean Conference has come and gone but the urgent need to protect our oceans, remains. READ: National Sea Rescue Institute | Raising funds for rescuers A Cape Town-based design company Formula D is using interactive, travelling exhibits, to bring ocean science education directly to communities. Their latest project blends hands-on learning with indigenous knowledge, showing how education and culture can come together to inspire environmental care. Michael Wolf, Co-CEO at Formula D, discussed this with eNCA.

The Citizen

19 hours ago

• The Citizen

Summit hears Pretoria company's small nuclear reactor offers independence

As South African cities confront load-shedding and economic stagnation, the search for energy independence has never been more urgent. For the Tshwane metro and other municipalities, a new option has emerged in the form of a locally developed small modular reactor, designed by Pretoria engineers, that promises to change how cities generate and control their electricity. This option was recently discussed and caught a lot of attention at the Energy Summit 2025 held at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The summit aimed to build a smarter energy system focused on powering a sustainable and inclusive future. It drew all stakeholders grappling with growing energy demands and pressure to transition towards clean, reliable energy sources, where Tshwane's energy future was the main theme. Developed by Pretoria-based company Stratek Global, the reactor offers a combination of safety, cost-efficiency, and energy security, making it an ideal fit for municipal deployment. Rekord spoke to a nuclear physicist and Stratek chairperson from Pretoria east, Dr Kelvin Kemm. He is confident that it can help municipalities. 'The reactor is designed specifically to be deployable at the municipal level. With this system, a municipality like Tshwane can own and operate its own nuclear power facility, independent of Eskom and free of geographic limitations.' He told Rekord that it is ideal for the metro, as unlike large-scale nuclear power plants, which require vast infrastructure and access to significant water sources, the reactor is self-contained and highly adaptable. He explained that gravity, natural cooling paths, and other physics functions have been used in design such that safety devices will fall into place naturally, under gravity, as cooling paths exist without active pumps running. When it comes to whether the metro would be able to use such a reactor if interested parties decide to commission the construction, he said, once the teams start building, it will take about five years to build the first reactor. 'This first one will take a year to 18 months for all the legal compliance, testing, and certification. From the second one onwards, construction will go faster.' He explained that the costs for such a reactor should be measured by how much the electricity will cost the customer. 'The electricity from the reactor will cost about the same as coal-fired electricity now. It is completely untrue that nuclear electricity will cost a huge amount,' stressed Kemm. He said there are huge economic benefits for the metro. During construction, hundreds of people will be employed in good-quality jobs, like any industrial construction. Construction materials will also be purchased from local suppliers. Tasks like forming metal parts, cutting, machining and high-integrity welding, and so on, all need to be performed and sourced. 'When the reactor is running, it will employ a couple of hundred people on a full-time basis. These range from engineers to skilled technicians to react to operators to draft craftsmen, such as plumbers and electricians. Many private companies will be involved, supplying goods and services on a regular basis.' According to Kemm, a representative from their Pretoria branch has twice travelled to a country in the Middle East to explain their proposal and architectural designs were carried out for that country, by Pretoria east architects JKDA. To him, it is a positive factor that South Africa has one of the oldest and most experienced nuclear regulators in the world. He said Stratek Global has an impressive building in Centurion, and there is a staff of some 150 people. 'They check and certify all issues concerning the design and construction of any nuclear system, to ensure the safety and protection of people and the environment.' He added that the principle of private or municipal ownership of electricity has already been established by the government for wind and solar systems. 'There is no reason why nuclear will be different. So, the metro, or groups of companies in Rosslyn, could install their own nuclear power. One reactor complex will fit easily on a piece of land the size of a football field. Such ownership is perfectly feasible. In fact, it is possible to have your own private grid,' he concluded. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here

TimesLIVE

3 days ago

• TimesLIVE

‘Jurassic World: Rebirth' brings fans back to dangerous dinosaur realm

Jurassic World: Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards, follows a team of specialists who embark on an expedition to a forbidden island, home to a research facility for the original Jurassic Park. The specialists include Johansson and Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey, who must obtain DNA samples from three dinosaurs to achieve a life-saving medical breakthrough. The Universal Pictures film arrives in theatre on July 2. For Rupert Friend, who also plays a specialist, the latest installment in the franchise is exhilarating. "I love adventure. I love being taken on a ride where you don't know what's going to happen. I love the unknown. I love risk," he said. For well-known science fiction director Edwards the pressure for the film to succeed did not hit until he arrived at the premiere. The R ogue One: A Star Wars Story director said: "It's all front and centre here. It feels a bit weird, to be honest. I can't quite get my head around it" Reuters