Technologies

CRISPR startup wants to resurrect the woolly mammoth by 2027

Colossal has landed $15m in funding to restore the woolly mammoth to the Arctic — and it thinks it can birth calves in four to six years.

You’ve heard of startups building computer chips, delivery drones and social networks. One called Colossal has a very different goal: bringing the woolly mammoth back from extinction by 2027 using CRISPR, a revolutionary gene editing technology.

The plan isn’t to re-create true woolly mammoths exactly but rather to bring their cold-adapted genetic traits like small ears and more body fat to their elephant cousins, creating a hybrid that can wander the tundra where mammoths haven’t been seen for 10,000 years. Colossal’s co-founders are Chief Executive Ben Lamm, who started five companies before this, and George Church, a Harvard Medical School professor with deep CRISPR expertise.

«Our true North Star is a successful restoration of the woolly mammoth, but also its successful rewilding into interbreeding herds in the Arctic,» Lamm said. «We’re now focusing on having our first calves in the next four to six years.»

It’s an interesting illustration of an imperative sweeping the tech world: Don’t just make money, help the planet too. Tesla’s mission is to electrify transport to get rid of fossil fuels that hurt Earth. Bolt Threads wants to replace leather with a fungal fiber-based equivalent that’s easier on the environment than animal agriculture. Colossal hopes its work will draw attention to biodiversity problems and ultimately help fix them.

Colossal has raised $15 million so far, led by investment firm Tulco. The startup’s 19 employees work at its Dallas headquarters and in offices in Boston and Austin, Texas, and it’s using its funds to hire more.

Artificial wombs and other technology spinoffs

Church said he expects spinoffs from the company’s biotechnology and genetics work.

«The pipeline of large scale genome engineering techniques can be applied to many other applications beyond de-extinction, and therefore [are] most promising for commercialization,» he said.

One technology ripe for commercialization is multiplex genome engineering, a technique Church helped develop that speeds genetic editing by making multiple changes to DNA at once.

Colossal also hopes to develop artificial wombs to grow its mammoth embryos. Just growing 10 woolly mammoths with surrogate elephant mothers isn’t enough to get to the large-scale herds the company envisions.

At the foundation of Colossal’s work is CRISPR. This technology, adapted from a method bacteria evolved to identify attacking viruses and chop up their DNA, is now a mainstay of genetic engineering, and Church has been involved since CRISPR’s earliest days.

Jurassic Park-style tourism? Nope

Selling or licensing spinoff technology is a somewhat indirect way of running a business. A more direct option is selling tickets to tourists. After all, humans already pay lots of money to see charismatic megafauna like lions, elephants and giraffes on African safaris. Seeing a creature that’s been gone for 10,000 years could add to the excitement.

But that’s not Colossal’s game plan. «Our focus is on species preservation and protection of biodiversity right now, not in putting them in zoos,» Lamm said. By re-creating woolly mammoths, Colossal can preserve the genetic legacy of Asian elephants that now are endangered.

Another candidate species Colossal wants to re-create is the woolly rhinoceros, a relative to the critically endangered Sumatran rhino.

Although Colossal doesn’t plan to build a tourist destination, it does have a woolly mammoth rewilding site in mind that sounds awfully close to Jurassic Park: Pleistocene Park. This area of about 60 square miles in northern Russia, named after the geologic period that ended with the last ice age, is where researchers Sergey and Nikita Zimov are trying to test their theories about the ecological and climatic effects of rewilding.

One Zimov idea is that woolly mammoths will trample snow and knock down trees. That, in turn, will restore grasslands that reflect more of the sun’s warming rays and eliminate insulating snow and forests so the ground cools more. And that means the ground will stay frozen instead of releasing its current store of carbon dioxide and methane greenhouse gases. About 260 billion to 300 billion metric tons of carbon could be released from thawing permafrost by 2300, scientists calculate, exacerbating the weather extremes and other problems caused by climate change.

Is species de-extinction a good idea?

There’s an appeal to the idea of de-extinction. Humans have dramatically altered the planet, and the United Nations estimates we threaten 1 million species with extinction as a result.

Colossal hopes its work will raise more attention to the biodiversity collapse. And it also plans to create detailed genetic descriptions of many endangered species «so we have the recipe if that species does go extinct,» Lamm said.

But is that really the best use of our resources to help the planet? No, some researchers believe.

Resurrecting species could have some benefits, but money would be better spent on trying to protect ones that are still around, a group of biologists argued in one paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. «Potential sacrifices in conservation of extant species should be a crucial consideration in deciding whether to invest in de-extinction or focus our efforts on extant species,» the researchers wrote.

But this isn’t government money Colossal is talking about, and Lamm argues that his startup’s work complements other conservation efforts. And, he argues, startups can move faster than government-funded work.

In a world dominated by climate crisis headlines, a startup that makes money with an ecosystem-improvement focus has special appeal. One investor, Zack Lynch of Jazz Venture Partners, is excited by software, hardware and biotech he expects Colossal will create.

At the same time, «these breakthroughs will help address issues such as land degradation, animal pollinator loss and other negative biodiversity trends,» Lynch said. Given how big our environmental problems are, you can see why an investor might be interested.

Technologies

Flying Without a Real ID? You May Soon Have to Pay $18 at the Airport

In May, a requirement went into effect at US airports for identification that meets Real ID standards.

What’s the cost of showing up at airport security without a Real ID, besides annoying TSA and possibly missing your flight? Soon, it could be $18 per person, nonrefundable.

The Transportation Security Administration is proposing the fee for travelers who show up at airport security without a valid Real ID, which could include an enhanced driver’s license or a passport. States began issuing driver’s licenses with Real ID in 2016.

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In May, after several delays, Real IDs became mandatory at airports in the US, although the TSA does offer alternative ways to verify identity using extra security measures. The $18 fee would cover that additional work.

«This modernized, technology-enabled program will provide additional methods of alternative identity verification beyond what TSA currently provides and reduce the time required to verify identities using the existing method,» the TSA’s administration said in the proposal. «The current alternative identity verification process is time- and resource-intensive, limiting the number of individuals for whom TSA can provide the service.»

There’s no information on what would happen next with the proposal, or when it might move forward. It’s unclear when, if approved, the $18 fee would begin.

«TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints,» a representative for TSA told CNET. «Additional guidance will be announced in the coming days.»

How the fee would work

According to the proposal, TSA would not refund the $18 fee if someone fails the security check and doesn’t make it through after paying.

However, if successful, the traveler would be able to continue traveling for 10 days without a Real ID using a biometric kiosk, without having to pay the fee repeatedly.

Tech companies, including Apple, have been working to offer solutions to make mobile IDs easier. The company has recently added a feature that allows people to add a passport to Apple Wallet. Some states are also offering options to use your phone as ya substitute for your driver’s license.

It’s unlikely that the TSA would implement the fee before the holiday travel season this year. Ensuring you have a Real ID-friendly form of identification is a good idea if you have air travel in your future, regardless of the associated fee.

Technologies

Snag the the DJI Mic Mini Kit for a Record-Low Price of $79 for Black Friday

Creators, podcasters or anyone who wants better audio on their calls and recordings have a chance to grab a great Black Friday bargain.

Whether you’re a YouTuber, a podcaster or you just want better audio on your FaceTime calls with the grandkids, a good microphone can make all the difference. Right now there’s a fantastic deal on one of the most popular microphones from DJI.

I’ve spotted the DJI Mic Mini for just $79 at Amazon right now — that’s a $90 savings. This early Black Friday deal won’t last, so make sure you get the mic now. The DJI Mic Mini kit includes two wireless lavalier mics that conveniently clip onto shirts or jackets, so you and a friend can record better audio.

These DJI mics have omnidirectional recording that captures voices clearly. And a wireless receiver works with your mics up to 400 meters (1,312 feet) away.

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With Bluetooth, DJI OsmoAudio or USB connectivity options, you can always finish your video or keep streaming without a hitch. The mics’ battery life can also reach up to 48 hours, so you can spend more time creating and less time charging your equipment.

This kit includes two mics, a charging case, a mini receiver, windscreens, a USB cable, a 3.5mm camera audio cable and a mini carrying pouch. Best of all, these mics can be used with iPhones and Androids.

Why this deal matters

DJI is known for its high-quality drone cameras and accessories. This DJI Mic Mini kit includes everything needed to capture high-quality audio directly onto your smartphone. The mics are perfect for calls, streaming and content creation. This kit includes two lav mics and every accessory you need to get to work for $90 off. So, the deal is a must for budding creatives on a budget.

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Technologies

Gemini AI Is Coming to Millions of Cars to Be Your Chatty Road Trip Companion

Please remember to keep your eyes on the road while you engage with the new Android Auto capabilities.

Google is bringing AI conversations to drivers in 45 countries with an update to Android Auto that adds Gemini software as a passenger. The ambitious global rollout of the AI chatbot technology to a potential 250 million cars equipped with Android Auto software will be available to those who have upgraded Google Assistant to Gemini AI on their phone.

Once enabled, Google Gemini will be able to engage in hands-free conversations with drivers who want to do things like get recommendations for activities at their destination, sort through emails, or compose and edit texts while driving.

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In a blog post, the company offered five ways to use the new features. These include asking for recommended stops while on a route, composing or editing messages (including translations for 40 languages), looking for things in your Gmail inbox or Google Calendar, creating music playlists and practicing a speech on the way to, say, a wedding rehearsal dinner.

Whether it’s a good idea to do those things at highway speeds is a separate debate. While the features are hands-free, Google does not address the distraction factor of, for example, conversationally building a playlist while driving down the highway.

A spokesperson told CNET that Google will release research that addresses safety concerns around hands-free technology, but didn’t give a time frame.

«Our automotive products are designed and built on safety principles grounded in government and industry distraction guidelines, as well as our own deep research,» said Greg Fitch, head of safety and user experience for Android for Cars.

«We’ve extensively tested Gemini’s impact on the driving experience, both in the lab and on the road. With rigorous third-party testing now complete, we are preparing to release our findings,» Fitch said.

How Gemini works in Android Auto

Google says that accessing Gemini happens when you say «Hey Google,» hit the mic button in Android Auto, or do a long press on the voice control button if your steering wheel has one.

Google says it will add more features and capabilities in the future. For now, the Gemini update can access information from Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Keep, Samsung Calendar, Samsung Reminder, and Samsung Notes, with additional third-party app support expected in the future.