A real Jurassic Park? Peter Jackson associates with colossal biosciences to resuscitate missing species

On the occasion of the release of the film Jurassic World Renaissancethe dinosaurs are back in the news. But may not be Steven Spielberg who will bring them to life, but rather Peter Jackson, director of Rings. He joined forces with the Colossal BioSciences company to carry out an unprecedented resurrection project.

Peter Jackson wants to resuscitate giant birds

Raising dinosaurs is a dream of many scientists, especially since the broadcast of Jurassic Park films. Companies like Colossal Biosciences have made this project a specialty. The latter even recently joined Peter Jackson to try to revive extinct birds, including the famous giant Moa and other smaller MOAs. It is a group of giant birds missing, from New Zealand. Unable to fly, some MOAS could exceed three meters in height. They disappeared in the 15th century, mainly because of human hunting and the predators introduced.

This ambitious project is based on genetics advances, such as those already carried out by colossal biosciences, which has managed to create a “woolly mouse“From DNA of mammoths and elephants. The company now works with the Ngāi Tahu Research Center of the University of Canterbury, an Aboriginal research center that envisages their reintroduction in suitable habitats. Peter Scofield, university professor, declares that the MOA will be able to give precious information on the New Zealand ecosystem:”Their impact on the New Zealand forest is a subject that we will also study“He said.”We will learn much more about prehistoric animals in their environment than we could never imagine“.

MOA and New Zealand

For his part, Peter Jackson is delighted to be able to collaborate with science, but especially with his adopted country. “JI am a recent New Zealander, but proud“Said Jackson.”The MOA, the largest bird has never existed, is a real national pride. From school, knowing that we had the largest bird in the world is exciting. By growing up and visiting museums, we understand how much he is part of New Zealand culture“explained Peter Jackson in Forbes.

For the moment, Colossal has already started to sequence and rebuild the genomes of the nine species of MOA, using data discovered in caves containing “important moa subfossil deposits“.

Although the complete MOA resurrection is not guaranteed, the researchers explain that the project has a major scientific and cultural value. It could make it possible to better understand these missing species and preparing a future where their return to nature would be possible, even if it remains today a considerable challenge. Finally, although the MOA is not a dinosaur, its resurrection represents a key step for techniques which could one day allow to bring to the life of species as old as dinosaurs.

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