Tasmanian tiger rebirth: Scientists edge closer to revival
The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf, went extinct in the 20th century. Scientists are now unraveling its origins and planning to bring it back to life. Colossal Biosciences, the company spearheading this ambitious project, has announced a significant milestone that brings us closer to restoring the thylacine population.
The Tasmanian tiger shares many characteristics with the Tasmanian devil, as both species belonged to the dasyurids group. In the past, they coexisted in the same ecosystems, but thylacines are now classified as a distinct group of Australian predators.
The history of the Tasmanian thylacine
The thylacine, or Thylacinus cynocephalus, was the most prominent predatory marsupial of its era. It initially inhabited regions of Australia and New Guinea before becoming confined to Tasmania. After European colonizers arrived, the thylacine was labeled a pest, leading to bounties being offered for its capture. This resulted in a severe population decline. Eventually, only a few specimens existed, and the last known thylacine died in 1936 at the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart.
The death of the last known thylacine greatly hindered efforts to understand its history and identify its ancestors. Nevertheless, researchers persisted and thoroughly studied the thylacine. For example, research by scientists from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, published in the "Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology," led to the discovery of fossilized remains of three new ancestral species.
These species include Badjcinus timfaulkneri, Ngamalacinus nigelmarveni, and Nimbacinus peterbridge. Although these creatures differ from the modern thylacine, they are considered its ancestors, each contributing to the evolution of the species. The history, once difficult to decipher, is becoming clearer. Meanwhile, scientists at Colossal Biosciences, an American company specializing in biotechnology and genetic engineering, are working on reviving the thylacine. Their ambitious plans also include restoring populations of extinct woolly mammoths and dodos.
Plans to bring the thylacine back to life
Professor George Church of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, discussed the current state of research on resurrecting thylacines with IFL Science. He revealed that the company has developed a prototype artificial womb and used it to nurture fertilized single-cell embryos of thylacines.
"The system is much more sophisticated than any existing device, with modulated precision microfluidics and gas control that enables us to control the environment the embryo is growing in, in a very precise way," Ben Lamm, another co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, told IFLScience. "It also enables us to image the embryo as it develops to make sure all developmental milestones are on track," he added.
"The device will be important for studying embryonic development and making sure the DNA edits we are making are driving the correct developmental changes. This will also enable us to generate thylacine young at scale for rewilding, without the need for surrogate mothers," Ben Lamm explained.
Scientists believe that the thylacine presents a promising starting point for testing this technology, which might eventually be applied to other extinct species. However, much more research is needed before these plans can come to fruition.
