Colossal CEO Ben Lamm Believes Humanity has a Moral Duty to Develop De-Extinction Technology

Colossal CEO Ben Lamm assured audiences at SXSW that the company has no intention of creating a real-life Jurassic Park, addressing any lingering doubts about its mission. The Dallas-based startup, which uses genetic editing to revive extinct species like the woolly mammoth, aims to develop a “de-extinction toolkit” to support modern conservation efforts.

“Modern conservation isn’t working […] and we’re going to need a ‘de-extinction’ toolkit,” Lamm stated during an onstage interview with actor and board member Joe Manganiello. He emphasized that humanity has a moral and ethical duty to explore technologies that could help reverse the damage caused by human activity.

Colossal’s De-Extinction Efforts

Colossal is actively working to bring back the dodo, the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), and the woolly mammoth. However, reviving dinosaurs remains impossible due to the absence of viable DNA. Founded in 2023 by Lamm and geneticist George Church, the company hopes to produce woolly mammoth hybrid calves by 2028 and reintroduce them to the Arctic tundra. It is also leading efforts to reintroduce Tasmanian tiger joeys into their native Australian habitat after a period in captivity.

Colossal’s ambitious vision has attracted significant investor interest, securing hundreds of millions in venture capital and reaching a valuation of $10.2 billion. The company has spun out two subsidiaries focused on specialized applications, with a third yet to be announced. Lamm also sees enormous commercial potential in species rewilding and carbon sequestration, estimating a multi-billion-dollar market in these areas.

One of Colossal’s latest projects is the gene-edited “woolly mouse,” featuring a mix of mammoth-like and mouse hair-growth mutations. The result is a small rodent with long, shaggy, tawny-toned fur, offering a glimpse into how the company’s genetic engineering techniques might be applied to larger species.

Some experts remain skeptical about the new species, suggesting the experiment was more focused on mouse genetics than a true advancement in de-extinction.

However, Lamm defended the project, stating that it reinforced Colossal’s woolly mammoth research.

“It confirmed that our initial genetic edits for the mammoth were correct,” Lamm said.

The Power and Peril of AI and Synthetic Biology

During the interview, Lamm discussed AI, describing the convergence of computing, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology as the most “dangerous” technological combination in history. Despite this caution, he also shared an optimistic vision for the future, predicting that advances in synthetic biology could lead to cancer cures, ocean plastic removal, and widespread access to clean water.

“We will have true dominion over life,” Lamm said, explaining that humanity could eradicate invasive species, restore extinct ones, and even engineer plants not just for food, but to produce novel proteins.

He also predicted that within the next 20 years, humanity would reach “longevity escape velocity,” extending life expectancy and making the concept of immortality theoretically possible.

Beyond human longevity, Lamm suggested that large-scale efforts akin to the Manhattan Project might be necessary to preserve endangered species, proposing “bio vaults” to store stem and egg cells. He hinted at discussions with a nation interested in the idea but did not specify which one.

Regarding public sector collaboration, Lamm noted that Colossal meets with U.S. government agencies on a quarterly basis and has received government funding, likely through grants.

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

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