When a biotech firm started in 2021, it aimed to genetically engineer elephants with traits found on extinct woolly mammoths. Although mammoth-like creatures aren’t yet a reality, researchers at the company have made progress by creating elephant stem cells that have the potential to develop into any tissue in the body. These cells could be used to help protect living elephants, such as by creating an abundant supply of elephant eggs for breeding programs. Independent researchers have praised the cells, as they could provide insights into the biology of elephants and their resistance to cancer. The data has been published online, without appearing in a scientific journal yet. A biologist at Harvard Medical School started trying to resurrect the woolly mammoth over a decade ago, using DNA from the bones of extinct animals.
