Dire Wolf De-Extinction and China's 'Super Human' Gene Editing

De-Extinction of the Dire Wolf

• 💡 A company has genetically engineered greywolves to exhibit the traits of the extinct dire wolf, which disappeared 10,000 years ago.
• ⚠️ Critics argue these are not true dire wolves as no ancient DNA was spliced in, but rather modified greywolves with dire wolf phenotypes.
• 🐺 The recreated animals, named Romulus, Remus, and Kesi, are described as larger and stockier than modern wolves, with thicker skulls and a mane-like quality to their fur.
• 🐾 These animals are housed on a 2,000-acre preserve with 24/7 care and veterinary support, and are being fed a diet of bison and horse meat, with carcasses being introduced to encourage natural feeding behaviors.

The Science Behind De-Extinction

• 🧬 The process involves mapping extinct animal DNA and genetically engineering modern species to replicate specific attributes, aiming for biological and ecological similarity rather than exact replicas.
• 🔬 Researchers utilized a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 73,000-year-old skull to understand the genetic distance and conserved genes of the dire wolf.
• 🌲 The team believes that behavioral characteristics are deeply embedded in genes and can be reactivated after long periods of dormancy.

Concerns Over Human Gene Editing

• 🇨🇳 A significant concern raised is China's alleged experimentation with gene editing technology on humans, with claims of creating genetically modified children.
• 🧬 The technology, including CRISPR and genome engineering tools, is described as a 'genie out of the bottle,' with potential for widespread use.
• 🦠 There are accusations that Chinese institutions offered free COVID-19 testing to collect global DNA data, potentially for military purposes and to identify genes tied to intelligence.
• ⚠️ The potential for creating 'super viruses' that target specific genomes or enhancing human intelligence through gene splicing is highlighted as a major ethical and security risk.
• 🚫 While the company involved in dire wolf de-extinction states they will never use their technologies for humans, they acknowledge that others may, necessitating careful evaluation.