Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
This episode explores the fascinating science and bold vision of de-extinction with Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. The discussion covers how cutting-edge synthetic biology, AI-driven comparative genomics, and gene editing techniques are being applied to bring back extinct species like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf. The conversation explains the engineering challenges behind these projects, distinguishing between cloning and genome engineering, and highlights how these extreme scientific pursuits yield practical spin-off technologies for conservation, plastic degradation, and human healthcare. The episode is worth listening to for its mind-bending look at present-day sci-fi, detailed explanations of genetic editing milestones like woolly mice and dire wolf puppies, and candid explorations of the ethical boundaries surrounding synthetic biology.
Hosts welcome listeners and introduce Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, setting the stage for a discussion on de‑extinction.
Ben recounts his time at Baylor, early startup ventures, and how his background in e‑learning and gaming led to founding Colossal.
Ben describes how a conversation with geneticist George Church sparked the idea of using CRISPR to bring back the woolly mammoth and the collaborative vision that followed.
Ben outlines how Colossal’s platform could extend beyond de‑extinction to agriculture, medicine, and environmental restoration, emphasizing the broader applications of their technology.
The hosts discuss the assembly of a multidisciplinary team, labs in Dallas and Melbourne, and the strategic hiring of a chief animal officer to support de‑extinction work.
Ben explains how editing mouse genomes to mimic mammoth traits validated their approach, demonstrating the feasibility of large‑scale genome engineering.
The conversation turns to the dire wolf project, detailing DNA sourcing, collaboration with Native American tribes, and the scientific and cultural considerations involved.
The hosts discuss how Peter Jackson and other investors helped secure early capital and how family connections drive investment.
The conversation turns to the moral responsibility humans have for past extinctions and the ethical debate surrounding resurrecting species.
They explore what constitutes a species, the gray‑wolf versus mammoth debate, and the limits of genetic editing.
The team shares the story of showing George R. Martin the first dire‑wolf howl and how celebrity interest fuels the project.
The hosts explain their funding sources, including state and federal governments, and address concerns about secrecy and international collaboration.
The conversation concludes with cutting‑edge reproductive technologies, including artificial wombs and synthetic eggs, and their role in de‑extinction.
The discussion moves to a microbe that breaks plastics, the challenges of scaling, and the broader implications for environmental cleanup.
They debate the use of gene drives for controlling invasive species, weighing ecological risks against potential benefits.
The conversation opens with the creation of Noah's Ark 2.0 bio vaults worldwide to preserve species as humanity rapidly erases biodiversity.
The Impossibility of Cloning Mammothsinsight
The guest explains why direct cloning is impossible for ancient animals: DNA degrades rapidly over time and no viable living cells remain in preserved carcasses.
Meeting George Church at Harvardstory
The guest describes meeting the legendary geneticist George Church, who casually mentioned during a phone call that his dream project with unlimited capital would be bringing back the woolly mammoth.
Recruiting Scientists for Sci-Fi Projectsstrategy
The guest shares how combining high-impact conservation with inspiring, futuristic science provides an unfair advantage in recruiting top talent away from traditional academia.
To test mammoth gene edits, the team successfully engineered woolly mice containing core mammoth traits like hair texture and length in just 30 days without health issues.
Using 73,000-year-old skull fragments and 12,000-year-old teeth, the team successfully mapped the dire wolf genome and produced healthy puppies with unique traits like a mane and white fur.
Developing Artificial Wombsstrategy
To bypass the need for surrogate animals, the team is actively developing artificial wombs, placental interfaces, and synthetic eggs to gestate extinct species ex-uterine.
Plastic-Eating Enzyme Discoverydata
The team harnessed synthetic biology to accelerate a microbe-driven enzyme that breaks down plastic polymers into biomass in months rather than centuries.
“We have Ben Lamb, who is the co‑founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences.”
“I would say that before we get into like scientific or any major milestones, the thing I'm big is it's the team, right?”
“We have a lab in Melbourne, Australia, but the one in Dallas is cooler, but you can go to both if you want.”
“30% of our investors come to us from their kids.”
“We are very clear on this and sometimes this frustrates our critics, just being transparent about it.”
“We have a foundation, we raised a hundred million dollars for our foundation.”
“We have three artificial womb projects. We have a marsupial roller culture system.”
“And so why I bought Viagen was I think people should have those conversations.”
“Invasive species is a $6 trillion global economic impact.”
“We are the only company in the world that has invertebrate and vertebrate gene drives that can work cross‑species.”
Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, serial technology entrepreneur, and pioneer in de-extinction. Ben joins Armchair Expert to discuss being raised by his mom and grandparents in Texas, starting his first company while at Baylor, and why a conversation with geneticist George Church changed the course of his life. Ben and Dax talk about building a team to engineer a mammoth from scratch, creating woolly mice in 30 days, and turning 73,000-year-old DNA into dire wolf puppies. Ben explains why de-extinction is really about developing new technologies, how humans should take responsibility for species we’ve eradicated, and why inspiring people about science is as important as the animals themselves. Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime. Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
26,478 words · 6 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated