An American company has brought the "dire wolf" back to life after an extinction period of more than 10,000 years, in an amazing scientific achievement that blends fantasy and reality.
Texas-based Colossal Biosciences announced Monday the birth of three dire wolf pups: two 6-month-old males named Romulus and Remus, and a 3-month-old female named Khaleesi.
The company achieved this feat using cloning and gene editing techniques, based on DNA samples taken from the remains of ancient dire wolves, including a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull.
Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal, explained that this development represents "the first step in a series of successes to come" that demonstrate the company's technology's ability to bring back extinct species.
The team relied on blood cells from a gray wolf—the dire wolf's closest living relative—and genetically modified them to closely match the dire wolf's genetic makeup. The modified genetic material was then transferred into eggs extracted from domestic dogs, and the resulting embryos were implanted into a surrogate female until birth.
Dr. Beth Shapiro, chief scientist at Colossal, confirmed that the team used an innovative approach to improve the ancient genome despite the lack of a complete genetic reference.
Dire wolves are characterized by their large size, powerful jaws, and thick fur, and are larger than gray wolves in build. Colossal announced that the three pups will live in a continuously monitored environmental sanctuary, accredited by the American Humane Society and registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It's worth noting that the direwolf is a symbol in popular imagination, but its greatest fame comes from its appearance in the series "Game of Thrones."
"Many people see dire wolves as mythical creatures that don't exist, but they were real and played an important environmental role in ancient America," commented George R.R. Martin, author of the series and a cultural advisor and investor to Colossal.
"I write about magic, but Ben and the Colossal team actually make it happen," he added.
In addition to bringing back the dire wolf, Colossal also announced the cloning of four red wolves using blood cells from members of an endangered population in the southeastern United States, with the goal of enhancing the genetic diversity of captive wolves used in conservation programs.