Colossal Biosciences Put 20 Edits into a Wolf Genome
Dr. Beth Shapiro explains how Colossal engineered dire wolf traits into gray wolves using 20 precise genetic edits and domestic dog variants.
Bringing Extinct Species Back to Life | Dr. Beth Shapiro
With Andrew Huberman, Beth Shapiro · Sunday, October 11, 2026
Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences and evolutionary biologist, joins Andrew Huberman to discuss the science and ethics of de-extinction. They explore how ancient DNA, CRISPR gene editing, and cloning technologies are used to resurrect traits of extinct species like the dire wolf and woolly mammoth while simultaneously protecting endangered living animals. They also examine human evolutionary genetics, Neanderthal DNA admixture, and the broader societal implications of synthetic biology.
Key takeaways
- Colossal Biosciences created living animals with dire wolf traits by introducing 20 targeted genetic edits into a gray wolf genome. Read more →
- Black-footed ferrets suffered severe genetic bottlenecks and sylvatic plague before researchers cloned Elizabeth Ann from 40-year-old frozen cell lines stored in the San Diego Frozen Zoo. Read more →
- Inaction is an active choice. Refusing to deploy genetic engineering tools does not preserve nature; it locks in ongoing loss because human environmental changes outpace natural selection. Read more →
- Between 2% and 5% of the genome in modern non-African humans originates from ancient Neanderthal hybridization events. Read more →
- The absolute physical ceiling for recovering ancient DNA is 1 to 2 million years under ideal Arctic permafrost conditions. Read more →
- Asian elephants share roughly 99% of their genetic code with woolly mammoths, making them closer relatives to mammoths than to African elephants. Read more →
6 articles from this episode
How Colossal Uses Genetic Rescue to Stop Extinctions
Beth Shapiro explains how 40-year-old frozen cells and single-letter gene edits save endangered species like ferrets and quolls.
Beth Shapiro on How to Pick Species for De-Extinction
Colossal Biosciences CSO Beth Shapiro shares the four criteria for de-extinction candidates and why inaction guarantees biodiversity loss.
Neanderthal DNA Shapes Modern Disease Risk and Immune Response
Dr. Beth Shapiro explains how Neanderthal DNA survives in modern humans, dictating immune responses, COVID severity, and genetic disease risks today.
Why Dinosaur Cloning Is Physically Impossible
Dr. Beth Shapiro explains the 2-million-year physical limit on ancient DNA recovery and why non-avian dinosaurs can never be cloned.
Woolly Mammoth De-Extinction: Why 1% of the Genome Matters
Beth Shapiro explains how 99% genetic similarity to Asian elephants allows Colossal to edit specific cold-tolerance traits.
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