From Romolo and Remo to Khaleesi, science has chosen legendary names for three puppies that seem to have come out of a fantasy story. And in fact, there is more storytelling than prehistory in the announcement with which Colossal Biosciences He revealed his “metalpies” to the world, genetically modified wolves to look likeenoconal (Aenocyon Dirus). It is a kind of canide originally from the Americas, which populated between the late Pleistocene and the beginning of the olcene, lived up to 10,000 years ago and made famous by the fantasy-dramatical series game of Thrones.
The news, relaunched by newspapers such as New Yorker and Time, has exploded with sensationalistic tones: “The de-extinction is here”, It has been said, written and read. But the reality is more nuanced. Because the three wolves – two six -month males and one female of two – are not copies of the enopioni, but gray wolves of our time, subjected to a complex genetic intervention which changed 20 key genes. Of these, 15 were successfully inserted, while the remaining 5 were excluded to avoid risks of malformations.
The result? Animals larger than 20% than the gray wolves of the same age, with a thick and clear cloak, an voluminous tail and an imposing bearing. But they remain modern wolvesnot perfect replicas of the prehistoric predator.
Science and entertainment
Colossal, founded in 2021, has a declared goal: to bring extinct animals back to life. He has already attempted it with the womb, the Tilacini and the Dodo, but with results still in the experimental phase. The metalpies, to date, are the most concrete project. “We created functional copies of something that was alive,” he told the New York Times Beth Shapiroscientific director of the company. A powerful phrase, even if ambiguous.
The choice to focus on eNOCIONE is not accidental: compared to other extinct animals, the canids are more accessible from a genetic point of view. The DNA recovered by two fossils – a 13,000 -year -old tooth and a 72,000 -year skull – provided a base for genetic engineering. Thanks to the kinship with wolves, dogs and coyote, Colossal was able to exploit techniques already known, such as canine cloning and the system in surrogate mothers.
A controversial “rebirth”
The three puppies live in captivity in a secret reserve in North America, far from prying eyes, as well as from the risk of crossing with wild wolves. One of the four born died shortly after childbirth from reasons not related to genetic manipulation. But the other three are healthy, cared for and constantly monitored.
Still, many scientists remain skeptical. Talking about “de-extinction” is, they clarify, misleading: hundreds of appeal is missing, perhaps thousands of distinctive genes of enlae. And even if the external traits can remember the prehistoric wolf, behavior, metabolism, and many biological functions remain those of a modern gray wolf.
The geneticist Julie Meachenwhich contributed to the study on the DNA of the metalpies, underlines that Eocioni and Gray Wolves are genetically similar to 99%, but the different 80 genes concern key strokes: size, jaw power, fur density. Only part of these mutations has been reproduced by Colossal.
Dream or risk?
Behind the fascination for the “resurrection” of extinct animals, a wider question is hidden. The Colossal project is not just science: it is also marketing, investments and narrative. With a 10 billion dollar evaluation, the startup rides the charm of the remote past to push a technology that – if perfected – it could have applications in the storage field.
In fact, Colossal says that these techniques will be able to help risk species, such as American red wolf. He has already created hybrid clones between red wolves and coyote, in an attempt to increase genetic variability and save the species. But not everyone is convinced that it is the right path: the introduction of new specimens could alter delicate ecological balances or create unexpected problems.
Still others point the finger at the use of resources: it is worth spending billions to “resurrect” extinct species, When hundreds of others risk extinction today? Wouldn’t it be better to invest in the prevention and protection of the ecosystems and living beings that populate them?
According to theInternational Union for the conservation of nature (IUCN) In the last century at least 160 species have extinct. And if we move our gaze to the last two centuries, we realize that we have forever lost animals such as the golden toad, the tortoise of the island of Pinta, the ibex of the Pinerei. But also the northern white rhinoceros, Java’s tiger and literate. Or, again, the chiurlottello.
The future is (almost) prehistoric
The Metalupo project raises more questions than answers. Is it really right to manipulate life to satisfy our scientific curiosity or our desire for environmental redemption? And what will happen when – not if – the technology will be able to bring Mammut, Dodo or other iconic animals back to life?
For now, Romolo, Remo and Khaleesis, probably destined to be guinea pigs for life, remain a pioneering experiment. They are not wolves of the past, but ambassadors of a future where the line between natural and artificial becomes more and more subtle. A future in which Genetics promises miraclesbut It also requires us deep ethical choices.
