A dire wolf on the cover of Time in 2025? It’s not fantasy—it’s cutting-edge science. Remus, the world’s first recreated dire wolf in over 10,000 years, was recently featured on the magazine’s May 12 edition, capturing global attention with a powerful message about the future of endangered species. The cover image of Time made a striking visual statement: the word “Extinct” slashed through with a red line, suggesting a future where extinction is no longer permanent. At the heart of this cover story was Remus—a genetically modified creature that closely resembles the dire wolves of prehistoric North America. Dire wolves, larger and more robust than modern grey wolves, vanished from the earth over 10,000 years ago. But thanks to Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company renowned for its “de-extinction” projects, the echo of this lost predator now lives again. Remus represents a remarkable blend of ancient DNA and modern genetic engineering. Remus isn’t alone. Two other pups, aged between three and six months, are also being nurtured in a secure U.S. facility. These animals, while not perfect clones, are near-replicas of dire wolves—created using a combination of ancient fossil DNA, CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, and surrogacy via domestic dogs. To reconstruct the dire wolf genome, scientists used DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth found in Ohio and a 72,000-year-old skull fragment from Idaho. From these samples, researchers mapped essential genetic traits and modified grey wolf cells at 20 specific genomic sites. These altered cells were then implanted into dog egg cells, resulting in embryos that were carried to term over 62 days. The birth of Remus and his siblings marks a groundbreaking moment in science, blurring the line between the ancient and the modern, extinction and resurrection. As technology advances, this project could signal a paradigm shift in conservation—moving from preservation to actual restoration.
