Colossal, a newly formed biology and genetics company, has unveiled plans to revive some extinct animal species, and it's ready to start with mammoths. Reported by CNBC. Colossal scientists estimate that the resurgence of the mammoth population will help save the Arctic, restore damaged ecosystems and slow climate change. The first mammoth is expected to appear in six years.
Colossal was founded by entrepreneur Ben Lamm in collaboration with renowned geneticist and molecular engineer, Harvard Medical School professor of genetics, George Church, who is also called the father of synthetic biology. The professor's team has already been engaged in experiments on combining (splicing) mammoth genes with the DNA of Asian elephant skin cells, and the experiments were successful, given that the mammoth is very similar to the Asian elephant. Colossal intends to deepen this research and wants to grow a hybrid of an elephant and a mammoth in the laboratory.
As George Church noted in an interview with CNBC, the Asian elephant is threatened with extinction, so scientists decided to save it at the same time. “This species is threatened by two things. The first is the herpes virus, and the second is closeness to humans. Therefore, we decided to fix both of these points and give this species a new habitat. Where there are huge spaces and practically no people, and these are the northern regions of Canada, Alaska and Siberia, ”the professor said. Therefore, the genetically modified Asian elephant will become resistant to the herpes virus and will be able to tolerate low temperatures. The specimen that scientists are going to raise in the laboratory will look and behave like a woolly mammoth.
Most recently, this project received financial support from investors in the amount of $ 15 million. Among the first investors are billionaire, founder of Tulco investment company Thomas Tall, Draper Associates, Winklevoss Capital, motivational speaker Anthony Robbins.
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