Only 20 Genes Were Modified Out of Millions of Genetic Differences
Despite the hype, Colossal’s “dire wolves” are the result of editing just 20 genes—a minuscule fraction compared to the millions of genetic differences that once separated true dire wolves from their gray wolf relatives. According to Scientific American, these tweaks barely scratch the surface of authentic de-extinction, making the animals closer to designer pets than resurrected predators.