Mammoths could return: How 150 genes and AI may bring them back to life
Scientists pushed back the deadline due to the complexity of the DNA (screenshot: Colossal Biosciences)
AI will help solve the genetic mystery of mammoths and bring them back to life. Scientific startup Colossal Biosciences has pushed back the arrival of the first mammoth calves until the 2030s, according to an interview with the company’s CEO Ben Lamm published by TIME.
Colossal Biosciences is attempting to revive an ancient ancestor of elephants using gene-editing technology and DNA extracted from frozen mammoth remains found in Siberia in 2018.
While in 2024 the developers expected to grow mammoth calves in laboratories within four years, the deadlines have now officially been pushed back.
Genome hurdles and AI assistance
According to company CEO Ben Lamm, the release is expected in the early 2030s, but there is currently no exact date.
Geneticists found that working with the mammoth genome turned out to be much more complicated than reviving the dire wolf, which the company successfully completed in 2025.
Initially, researchers believed that editing around 60 genes would be enough to transform an elephant cell nucleus into a mammoth one. However, new data showed that more than 150 genes need to be modified, controlling specific anatomical traits such as ear size and fur density.
Read more: Scientists uncover a 40-year-old mistake: Giant dinosaurs lived in Antarctica
Successful cases and other projects
To speed up the process, Colossal Biosciences combines the capabilities of artificial intelligence with CRISPR technology. AI analyzes genetic code, identifying key differences between elephants and their extinct relatives.
What has already been achieved?
- Scientists have bred a family of 38 “woolly mice” using mammoth genetic code responsible for thick fur;
- Analytical algorithms have successfully identified genes that control thermoregulation and ear size;
- Work is also underway to revive the flightless dodo, the marsupial Tasmanian tiger and the giant moa bird.
Despite the delay, the developers believe that using AI will make it possible to decipher complex combinations of DNA and create a viable embryo within the next decade.
