NEW YORK — A biotechnology company pursuing the revival of extinct species says it has successfully hatched live chicks using an artificial egg-like system, a development that has drawn both scientific interest and skepticism over its claims and long-term goals.
Colossal Biosciences said Tuesday that 26 baby chickens, ranging in age from a few days to several months, were produced using a 3D-printed lattice structure designed to mimic the function of a natural eggshell. The system was used in a controlled incubator environment where fertilized eggs were introduced and supported through early development.
The company, which has previously reported efforts to engineer living animals with traits resembling extinct species such as woolly mammoths and dire wolves, described the breakthrough as part of its broader de-extinction research program.
Chief executive Ben Lamm said the artificial egg system could eventually be adapted to support genetically modified birds resembling extinct species such as New Zealand’s South Island giant moa, which was significantly larger than modern chickens and laid extremely large eggs.
Colossal said the artificial structure was engineered to regulate oxygen flow similar to a natural eggshell, while also allowing scientists to monitor embryo development in real time. Calcium was added to support growth, replicating one of the key functions of a natural shell environment.
However, independent scientists cautioned that the system does not fully replicate the biological complexity of a true egg. They noted that essential components, including temporary embryonic structures that provide nutrition, waste removal, and stabilization, were not present.
Evolutionary biologist Vincent Lynch of the University at Buffalo said the setup more closely resembles an artificial shell than a complete egg system, adding that the technology may be useful for producing genetically modified birds but not for reviving extinct species as they once existed.
Other researchers noted that similar approaches have been used in past decades, including transparent or artificial shells that allowed chicks to develop in controlled environments for scientific observation. Experts said such techniques are valuable for studying development but do not necessarily represent a new category of biological reproduction.
Bird reproductive biologist Nicola Hemmings of the University of Sheffield said producing chicks in artificial environments is not unprecedented, and emphasized that Colossal’s approach remains an early-stage engineering effort rather than a fully functional artificial egg.
The company acknowledged that significant challenges remain before any attempt to recreate a moa-like bird, including the need to reconstruct ancient DNA from fossilized remains and develop a much larger incubation system capable of supporting such a species.
Lamm said the current work is intended to address engineering challenges ahead of future surrogacy experiments rather than immediate de-extinction attempts.
Bioethicists have also raised broader concerns about the ecological and ethical implications of reviving extinct species, particularly whether such animals could survive in modern environments that differ significantly from those they once inhabited.
Arthur Caplan of New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine said the primary question is not only whether such species can be recreated, but whether they would have a viable habitat in today’s ecosystems.
Some researchers argue that conservation efforts may be better directed toward protecting endangered species and preserving existing genetic material rather than attempting to recreate long-extinct animals.
Hemmings said her focus remains on conservation, noting that preventing further species loss may offer more immediate ecological benefits than de-extinction efforts.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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