American biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences has announced a major milestone. Scientists were able to create an artificial egg, from which more than 30 healthy chickens successfully hatched.
The “incubation platform” took two years to develop, and according to the company, it reproduces the conditions of embryo development outside the traditional biological environment. CEO Ben Lamm sees this technology as a step towards a more ambitious goal: recovering extinct species.
Colossal Biosciences is already working on a project to “revive” giant moas, flightless birds that became extinct about 600 years ago. Since moa eggs are 80 times larger than chicken eggs, traditional methods of rearing through surrogate parents are not suitable. Artificial incubation is seen as a major solution.
The company is also developing genetically modified animals, including the “woolly mouse,” as a step towards potentially recreating the characteristics of the woolly mammoth. The “exogenous development” technique can also be applied to modern species that are threatened with extinction USA Today.
Director Peter Jackson, who directed the famous “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, has previously spoken of plans to revive the moa, which has been extinct for more than 600 years.