How happy the dodo bird could be if it lived again. Rendering: Courtesy of Colossal Biosciences
A Texas-based startup attempting to bring back extinct animals says it has grown cells that put it closer to reviving the dodo bird.
Why it matters: Colossal Biosciences believes its technology could also protect endangered species and preserve biodiversity.
The latest: The company announced yesterday that it has successfully grown pigeon primordial germ cells, the founding cells for sperm and eggs. Colossal calls it a "pivotal step" toward bringing back the dodo, which went extinct in the late 1600s.
Colossal also announced it received $120 million in new funding, bringing the company's valuation to $10.3 billion.
State of science: Scientists were able to revive the long-extinct dire wolf, the company announced in April, and are trying to bring back the woolly mammoth.
Colossal has also cloned four red wolf-coyote hybrids as part of an effort that could protect one of the world's most endangered wolves.
How it works: Colossal scientists developed a Texas colony of Nicobar pigeons, the closest living relative of dodos, to develop the genome for the revived dodo.
They also gene-edited a flock of chickens to serve as surrogates for dodos and other endangered birds.
The gene-editing ensures the chickens don't make their own germ cells. Chicks will be injected with the pigeon primordial germ cells so they could eventually lay an egg that hatches a pigeon.
The bottom line: Colossal's announcement is the first time a scientific team has been able to create primordial germ cells for any birds besides chickens and geese.
