“As dead as a dodo.” For centuries, that phrase has summed up the finality of extinction. The bird itself, a plump, flightless native of Mauritius, vanished in the 1600s, mocked by sailors as slow-witted and easy prey. Its very name may have come from the Portuguese doudo, meaning “simpleton.”
But the world’s most famous symbol of extinction might not stay dead much longer. Now, a Texas-based startup believes it is closer than ever to reversing that fate.
Colossal Biosciences, the Dallas biotechnology company dedicated to “de-extinction,” announced this week that it has successfully grown pigeon primordial germ cells in the lab, the reproductive precursors needed to create sperm and eggs.
For birds, which cannot be cloned like mammals, this is the crucial gateway to breeding future generations.
The company plans to gene-edit Nicobar pigeons, the dodo’s closest living relatives, and place their germ cells into engineered chicken surrogates. Using Crispr technology, the birds could eventually be bred to carry the dodo’s distinctive traits, from its bulky body to its large head.
“This isn’t 20 years away. Rough ballpark, we think it’s still five to seven years out,” Colossal chief executive Ben Lamm told The Guardian. He added that conservation partners are already scouting rat-free sites in Mauritius where the birds could one day be released. “We’re not looking to make two dodos,” Lamm said. “We want thousands, with enough genetic diversity that they can thrive in the wild.”
A bird lost to history
The dodo, a large, flightless, fruit-eating bird, disappeared by the 1660s. Dutch sailors once likened it to a “very big goose.” Its rapid extinction was driven by hunting, habitat destruction, and the arrival of invasive species such as pigs, macaques, and rats, which devoured its eggs.
The last reliable sighting was recorded in 1662, cementing its status as a tragic symbol of human-driven loss.
Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s lead scientist, called the germ-cell breakthrough “super exciting” while stressing that any reintroduction would be gradual. “If we can put back a large, ground-dwelling fruit-eating bird, we don’t know all the consequences of restoring them to this landscape,” she said. “But we anticipate some happy surprises.”
Money and momentum
As per Bloomberg, Colossal’s scientific progress coincided with a fresh $120 million funding extension, bringing its total haul to $555 million and pushing its valuation to $10.3 billion.
High-profile backers include filmmaker Peter Jackson, golfer Tiger Woods, football star Tom Brady, and entrepreneur Paris Hilton. Jackson has also expressed support for the company’s plan to revive the moa, a giant bird that once roamed New Zealand.
The new capital will help fund a dedicated avian research centre in Texas, according to Lamm. Other investors in the round included the US Innovative Technology Fund and ARCH Venture Partners co-founder Robert Nelsen.
Beyond the dodo
Colossal has drawn attention for other ambitious projects.
It has engineered a “woolly mouse” as part of its woolly mammoth programme and announced the birth of three dire wolf pups, reviving an Ice Age predator popularised by Game of Thrones. The company describes its achievements as “a Dolly-esque moment,” a reference to the first cloned sheep.
Its research has also spawned commercial spin-offs. One venture focused on plastic-waste degradation raised $10.5 million last year, while a software offshoot has already attracted $40 million.
Looking ahead, Lamm and co-founder George Church, a Harvard geneticist, are quietly developing a new startup called Astromech.
The venture, which has raised $30 million, aims to combine AI and robotics to study how species evolve, from cancer resistance in elephants to the mysteries of long-extinct animals.
Promise and debate
Colossal’s meteoric rise has attracted celebrity investors and global attention, but not without criticism. Conservationists warn that reviving extinct animals could disrupt ecosystems or divert resources from protecting endangered species that are still here.
Lamm argues the opposite: that the technologies built for de-extinction will help conserve biodiversity and restore balance to fragile environments. “Our goal is to return species not as curiosities, but as functioning parts of their ecosystems,” he told The Guardian.
For now, the dodo remains confined to museums and metaphors.
But if Colossal’s science and funding deliver on their promise, the forests of Mauritius could one day once again echo with the tread of the bird sailors once mocked as ungainly, but that history remembers as unforgettable.
But the world’s most famous symbol of extinction might not stay dead much longer. Now, a Texas-based startup believes it is closer than ever to reversing that fate.
Colossal Biosciences, the Dallas biotechnology company dedicated to “de-extinction,” announced this week that it has successfully grown pigeon primordial germ cells in the lab, the reproductive precursors needed to create sperm and eggs.
For birds, which cannot be cloned like mammals, this is the crucial gateway to breeding future generations.
The company plans to gene-edit Nicobar pigeons, the dodo’s closest living relatives, and place their germ cells into engineered chicken surrogates. Using Crispr technology, the birds could eventually be bred to carry the dodo’s distinctive traits, from its bulky body to its large head.
“This isn’t 20 years away. Rough ballpark, we think it’s still five to seven years out,” Colossal chief executive Ben Lamm told The Guardian. He added that conservation partners are already scouting rat-free sites in Mauritius where the birds could one day be released. “We’re not looking to make two dodos,” Lamm said. “We want thousands, with enough genetic diversity that they can thrive in the wild.”
A bird lost to history
The dodo, a large, flightless, fruit-eating bird, disappeared by the 1660s. Dutch sailors once likened it to a “very big goose.” Its rapid extinction was driven by hunting, habitat destruction, and the arrival of invasive species such as pigs, macaques, and rats, which devoured its eggs.
The last reliable sighting was recorded in 1662, cementing its status as a tragic symbol of human-driven loss.
Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s lead scientist, called the germ-cell breakthrough “super exciting” while stressing that any reintroduction would be gradual. “If we can put back a large, ground-dwelling fruit-eating bird, we don’t know all the consequences of restoring them to this landscape,” she said. “But we anticipate some happy surprises.”
Money and momentum
As per Bloomberg, Colossal’s scientific progress coincided with a fresh $120 million funding extension, bringing its total haul to $555 million and pushing its valuation to $10.3 billion.
High-profile backers include filmmaker Peter Jackson, golfer Tiger Woods, football star Tom Brady, and entrepreneur Paris Hilton. Jackson has also expressed support for the company’s plan to revive the moa, a giant bird that once roamed New Zealand.
The new capital will help fund a dedicated avian research centre in Texas, according to Lamm. Other investors in the round included the US Innovative Technology Fund and ARCH Venture Partners co-founder Robert Nelsen.
Beyond the dodo
Colossal has drawn attention for other ambitious projects.
It has engineered a “woolly mouse” as part of its woolly mammoth programme and announced the birth of three dire wolf pups, reviving an Ice Age predator popularised by Game of Thrones. The company describes its achievements as “a Dolly-esque moment,” a reference to the first cloned sheep.
Its research has also spawned commercial spin-offs. One venture focused on plastic-waste degradation raised $10.5 million last year, while a software offshoot has already attracted $40 million.
Looking ahead, Lamm and co-founder George Church, a Harvard geneticist, are quietly developing a new startup called Astromech.
The venture, which has raised $30 million, aims to combine AI and robotics to study how species evolve, from cancer resistance in elephants to the mysteries of long-extinct animals.
Promise and debate
Colossal’s meteoric rise has attracted celebrity investors and global attention, but not without criticism. Conservationists warn that reviving extinct animals could disrupt ecosystems or divert resources from protecting endangered species that are still here.
Lamm argues the opposite: that the technologies built for de-extinction will help conserve biodiversity and restore balance to fragile environments. “Our goal is to return species not as curiosities, but as functioning parts of their ecosystems,” he told The Guardian.
For now, the dodo remains confined to museums and metaphors.
But if Colossal’s science and funding deliver on their promise, the forests of Mauritius could one day once again echo with the tread of the bird sailors once mocked as ungainly, but that history remembers as unforgettable.
You may also like
Indian institutes can now join Axiom's alliance for research in space
Amanda Holden reveals famous pals were 'worried' before filming new BBC quiz show
Lewis Hamilton admits F1 wins 'far-fetched' in brutal Ferrari reality check
Emma Raducanu decision has backfired after crushing Korea Open loss
World Bamboo Day marked across Northeast showcasing bamboo as region's 'Green Gold'
