Modern WisdomThe Man Bringing Extinct Creatures Back To Life - Ben Lamm
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Gene Editing Mammoths: De-Extinction, Ecosystems, And Humanity’s Genetic Future
- Ben Lamm, founder of Colossal Biosciences, explains how his company uses advanced gene editing and ancient DNA to create ‘proxy’ versions of extinct animals like the woolly mammoth, dodo, and thylacine. Rather than cloning dead animals, they sequence degraded DNA from remains, compare it to living relatives, and edit embryos to express the key traits of the extinct species. Lamm argues these projects are not just spectacle: mammoths could help stabilize Arctic permafrost and slow climate change, thylacines could rebalance Tasmanian ecosystems, and the dodo can drive invasive-species removal and serve as a powerful symbol of human-caused extinction. Throughout, he and Chris Williamson explore the technical, ecological, ethical, and human-health implications of large-scale genome editing and reproductive technologies.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasDe-extinction focuses on reviving key genes, not perfectly resurrecting lost species.
Colossal builds ‘proxy’ animals by editing the closest living relatives (e.g., Asian elephants) with the core genetic changes that produce mammoth traits—hair, fat, cold tolerance—rather than reconstructing a 100% original genome, which is impossible with degraded ancient DNA.
Ancient DNA is patchy but reconstructable when you have many samples and high coverage.
By sequencing dozens of mammoth genomes at 20–50x coverage, researchers can statistically infer most of the genome despite heavy degradation, focusing on functionally important regions rather than seeking a perfect 100% sequence.
Different species require tailored reproductive strategies, including radically new tech.
Mammals like mammoths use somatic cell nuclear transfer and long surrogate gestations, while birds like dodos will likely be produced via edited primordial germ cells in chickens; for scale, Colossal is investing heavily in artificial wombs to bypass slow, risky surrogacy.
Revived species are tools for large-scale ecosystem engineering and climate mitigation.
Mammoth-like elephants could turn dark, low-efficiency Arctic forests back into reflective, carbon-storing grasslands, cooling permafrost by up to ~8°C and helping keep vast stores of methane and carbon locked in the ground.
Symbolic species can drive real policy and conservation change.
Reintroducing the dodo won’t magically fix Mauritius, but it forces invasive-species removal and habitat restoration, while the thylacine project aims to restore an apex predator whose absence may be dooming Tasmanian devils via unchecked facial tumor disease.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesFundamentally, we are de-extincting the core genes that make all of these species those unique species.
— Ben Lamm
You can’t clone a dead animal… so you have to look for its closest living relative.
— Ben Lamm
If we de‑extincted the core genes that made a mammoth a mammoth, then to me, that’s a mammoth.
— Ben Lamm
We have the tools and technologies to make humanity better through gene editing.
— Ben Lamm
More is possible today than we as humans are allowed to do.
— Ben Lamm
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