This Company Is One Step Closer to De-Extincting the Dodo Bird

Hold onto your hats, because what was once science fiction is now becoming reality. The company Colossal Biosciences, known for its groundbreaking de-extinction efforts, has made a Tyrannosaurus-sized move in its quest to revive the dodo.

In a first-of-its-kind scientific breakthrough, Colossal’s genetics team successfully grew primordial germ cells (PGCs) from a pigeon.

Why is this a big deal?

PGCs are the special cells that eventually become a bird's eggs and sperm. Before now, this was only possible for chickens and geese, so this new method opens the door for engineering a whole new generation of birds — including the dodo.

“Our avian team’s breakthrough in deriving culture conditions that allow pigeon primordial germ cells to survive long-term is a significant advancement for dodo de-extinction,” shared Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm. “This progress highlights how Colossal’s investment in de-extinction technology is driving discovery and developing tools for both our de-extinction and conservation efforts. Following the global excitement around our recent moa announcement, this new infusion of capital will help us expand our infrastructure and grow our avian genomics team to accelerate not only the new moa de-extinction project, but also continue to track progress on the dodo.”

The excitement isn’t just in the lab. The company recently announced it has raised an additional $120 million, bringing its total valuation to a staggering $10.32 billion. This funding will help the team scale up its ambitious projects, which include not only the dodo but also its plan to bring back the woolly mammoth.

So, what's next for the dodo? Colossal has a wild plan. They've already created a flock of specially bred chickens that are being prepared to act as surrogates. The idea is to inject the modified pigeon cells into these chickens, which would then lay an egg that hatches into a dodo.

"This breakthrough in culturing pigeon primordial germ cells represents a transformative tool for avian conservation," said Beth Shapiro, Colossal's Chief Science Officer. "By developing these protocols, we're establishing crucial biobanking capabilities and opening new possibilities for genetic rescue of endangered species."

As Colossal continues its groundbreaking work, the dream of a dodo roaming the earth again now seems closer than ever.