Wooly mice: A small step forward in the challenging effort to de-extinct the Pleistocene-era wooly mammoth

Scientists working to unlock the secrets of de-extinction recently announced what they say is a turning point for the movement: the creation of transgenic mice with long, luxurious golden locks of tufted fur inspired by the coats of woolly mammoths.

But what do a few extra-furry mice have to do with bringing mammoths back from extinction? That part is a little more complicated and has led to misunderstandings since the findings were announced. For instance, the New York Post described the woolly mouse as a new species — it isn’t — and one post on X with millions of views stated that the scientists “spliced woolly mammoth genes into mice,” which is also not true.

…

[M]ice are much easier to work with than elephants, of course. The tiny rodents require little space, breed quickly and have already been extensively studied with regards to their genetics.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here