Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotech firm, claims to have revived the dire wolf using ancient DNA and gene-editing technology.
Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotech firm, claims to have revived the dire wolf using ancient DNA and gene-editing technology. The announcement, published in The New Yorker, triggered a surge of interest both online and in the cryptocurrency space. Shortly after the news broke, a Solana-based meme coin called REMUS appeared on Pump.fun and rapidly gained traction, hitting a $13.33 million market cap in just nine hours. It later reached a new peak of $13.61 million before falling to $6.2 million.
Colossal used DNA extracted from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull to identify key differences between dire wolves and their closest living relative, the gray wolf. Scientists edited the gray wolf's DNA to resemble that of the extinct species and then inserted the modified cells into gray wolf ova. These were implanted into domestic dog surrogates, resulting in the birth of two pups: Remus and Romulus. A third, named Khaleesi, followed months later. Though only a few months old, the pups have already begun exhibiting wild behavior, such as howling and stalking. Remus, now four feet long and 80 lbs, is expected to grow to six feet and 150 lbs.
These animals will not be allowed to breed and will live on a 2,000-acre plot secured by a 10-foot-high fence and monitored by drones. The internet responded quickly, with Elon Musk and Joe Rogan posting about the announcement. However, not everyone is convinced. Zoologist Philip Seddon of the University of Otago told the BBC that the animals should be regarded as "genetically modified grey wolves" rather than true dire wolves.
The sudden excitement around the project spilled into the crypto market. The REMUS token, initially inactive for five hours, surged over 5665% within hours of launch. A trader turned $1,000 into $108,700. The coin saw a 24-hour trading volume of $39.58 million before falling 32.89% from its all-time high of $0.01366. Other coins themed after the cloned pups, including Romulus and Khaleesi, were also created, peaking at $2.11 million and $786,000 in market cap, respectively, with price jumps of over 50% and 236%.
Colossal, founded in 2021 by Ben Lamm and George Church, previously raised over $200 million in a Series C funding round led by TWG Global, with investors including Winklevoss Capital, Breyer Capital, and Animoca Brands. Earlier this year, the company used woolly mammoth DNA to create a "woolly mouse," which also led to a meme coin that briefly reached a $3.3 million valuation. Future targets for “de-extinction” include the dodo, Tasmanian tiger, and woolly mammoth.
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