De-extinction: A mammoth task

De-extinction -in its current form - is an excessively time- and capital-consuming process, and has yet to be successful for any singular species

As I write this column, I have kept the 1993 Steven Spielberg-directed Jurassic Park on pause. Usually, I don’t need any excuse to watch this sci-fi marvel time and again but this time, there is a reason: It’s topical. The US’ spy agency -- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) -- is funding research to bring back to life the long-extinct woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), just like dinosaurs in the movie.  

Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences -- which is working to “see the woolly mammoth thunder upon the tundra once again” -- has received financial support from the CIA’s investment arm In-Q-Tel. The start-up, which