A visualization of a woolly mammoth, which Colossal Biosciences aims to "de-extinct."
Courtesy of Colossal Biosciences

It’s been 4,000 years since the woolly mammoth went extinct, but Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences wants to change that. In 2022, it announced it had sequenced the genome of the Asian elephant, which shares 99.6% of its genes with the woolly mammoth. Combining that with DNA samples from mammoth remains could mean a rebirth of the species. The company hopes to work its “de-extinction” magic on other species, including the dodo and the Tasmanian tiger, and threatened species could be saved from extinction by editing more diversity into their genomes, making them more robust.

A weekly newsletter featuring conversations with the world’s top CEOs, managers, and founders. Join the Leadership Brief.

More Must-Reads From TIME

Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com.

Major League Baseball
Kim Kardashian Loves Your Body
Novo Nordisk
Kia America
Apple
EDIT POST