Scientists Have Bred Woolly Mice on Their Journey to Bring Back the Mammoth

Can you believe this? After 4,000 years, the woolly mammoth is making a surprising comeback—well, kind of. Scientists at Colossal Biosciences have taken a HUGE step towards de-extinction by inserting mammoth DNA into mice. These mice don’t have the woolly mammoth’s iconic coat, but they’ve inherited some wild traits, like the mammoth’s cold-resistant fat metabolism, which helped it survive the ice age.

And get this—Colossal hopes to have a real mammoth walking the Earth again by 2028! This is just the beginning, though. The team has been working hard to revive the mammoth ever since the company was founded in 2021. Using preserved mammoth DNA from permafrost, Colossal engineers have identified genes responsible for traits like the mammoth’s shaggy coat and cold-resistant metabolism, editing them into mice.

It sounds like science fiction, but these mice are proof the technology works. After several rounds of experimentation, 38 baby mice were born with the woolly traits of their ancient ancestors. While these mice aren’t full-grown mammoths (yet), the success is a critical step toward their goal.

With more species disappearing due to climate change, Colossal hopes to use this technology to bring back not just the mammoth, but other extinct species like the dodo and Tasmanian tiger, too. The work might sound crazy, but it’s one more tool in the fight to preserve life on Earth. Click the link below to hear what we had to say about this!

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82% Species of Birds-of-Paradise are Biofluorescent, New Study Shows

Can you imagine a bird glowing in bright colors? Sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, right? Well, it’s real! Birds-of-paradise, the incredibly vibrant and flashy forest birds from the New Guinea region, have just been found to be biofluorescent. Yep, you read that right—these birds are glowing under UV light!

In a recent study by ornithologists from the American Museum of Natural History and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, scientists discovered that 37 out of 45 species of birds-of-paradise can glow in the dark, and it’s not just a random party trick. They believe this biofluorescence helps male birds with their hierarchy and mating displays. After all, when you’re rocking feathers that colorful, you’ve got to make sure they really stand out.

Dr. Rene Martin, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, summed it up perfectly: “These flashy birds are likely signaling to each other in even flashier ways.”

So, what exactly is biofluorescence? It’s when an organism absorbs light and then transforms it, emitting it as a different color. In the case of birds-of-paradise, their feathers, feet, and even their bills glow under UV light, with males showing off the brightest flashes. And it’s not just about looking cool—they believe these glowing displays help the birds attract mates and show their social status.

The study shows that these birds-of-paradise aren’t just eye-catching in their regular plumage—they’ve got that extra layer of glow. It’s a whole new way they communicate and stand out in the jungle, and it might even be a secret weapon in the mating game! But sucks humans don’t have that ability! Click the link below to hear more about this amazing new discovery!

In this episode, we discuss a single monkey that managed to take down Sri Lanka's entire power grid, glowing birds, and the worst food crimes. Enjoy!