Dire wolves went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age… and three of them are alive right now.
Colossal Biosciences made them. Using ancient DNA, CRISPR gene editing, and what can be described as a complete disregard for the concept of "permanent." They named them Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi — because these are the kinds of people who bring back extinct predators and name one after a Game of Thrones character #notmyqueen.
This is a real company, and this actually happened.
Okay but how
The science is genuinely wild. Colossal takes ancient DNA from extinct animals, identifies the key genes that made them different from their closest living relatives, and edits those traits in until what comes out the other side is close enough to the original that you'd have a hard time arguing otherwise.
Dire wolves and gray wolves share a common ancestor. Colossal edited a gray wolf until it had dire wolf fur, dire wolf structure, dire wolf size. The result lives in a 2,000 acre undisclosed habitat somewhere in the northern United States — which, honestly, good call. You post that address and it's a circus show with every pro/anti group possible by Tuesday.
But let’s be clear… these are dire wolves. Or close enough that the distinction barely matters.
First thought on where they were making these wolves… Florida. Just sounds like a Florida thing. But no — Colossal’s lab is in Dallas, Texas, which also feels exactly right. Everything is bigger in Texas, now including the wolves.
How about Colossal’s funding? Tom Brady and Tiger Woods are all in and wrote checks — I would have presumed those two would be more into GOATs, but I digress — and as of early 2025, Colossal has raised more than $600M and hit a $10Bn valuation.
The mammoth is next
Colossal's flagship project isn't the dire wolf. It's the woolly mammoth — and their argument for bringing it back is one of the most unexpected things you'll read today.
Mammoths used to roam the Arctic tundra, trampling and turning over frozen ground in a way that kept the permafrost intact. After we hunted them to extinction, the permafrost started thawing, releasing greenhouse gases that have been locked underground for thousands of years.
Their argument — bringing back the mammoth is a climate intervention. Okay… now we’ve got everyone on board.
First though — woolly mice. Real mice with mammoth fur genes spliced in, running around a Dallas lab looking like tiny prehistoric pompoms. You must walk before you run. Mammoth calves 2028.
They also filed a patent to own the legal rights to gene-edited mammoths and trademarked "Mammouse." The CEO says there are no plans for a gift shop. Sure, Ben.
The part where we keep it real
Not everything from the past deserves a comeback. Nobody is asking for frosted tips or wallet chains. But prehistoric animals? That's a different conversation.
Critics will tell you these aren’t really dire wolves — the two species differ by millions of DNA letters and what Colossal made is closer to a heavily edited gray wolf. That's a fair point. It's also kind of missing the point.
The animals are real. The science is real. And the underlying idea — that extinction might not be permanent — is either the most exciting or most terrifying thing a company has ever attempted, depending on how much you've thought about it.
And look, if Colossal ever wants to put these things on an island and sell tickets — you know those videos of people in metal cages diving with Great White sharks? Or the glass enclosure so you can get up close and personal with a Polar Bear that would like to eat you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Sign me up. I'm first in line.
If they pull this off
Every species humanity wiped out becomes a candidate for return. The dodo. The Tasmanian tiger. The passenger pigeon. The question stops being is this possible and starts being which ones do we bring back and in what order.
That's not a small question.
Want to work out here?
Colossal is looking for time explorers. Geneticists, software engineers, and people who think de-extincting apex predators is a reasonable career path.
Open roles → colossal.com/careers
Welcome to Left Field 🌾
Left Field goes out every week. One company. No filler. Know a company that belongs out here? Hit the comment button and let us know.
If someone sent this to you, subscribe here: