For centuries, the dodo has stood as the most famous symbol of extinction. The plump, flightless bird disappeared from its native Mauritius in the 17th century after human hunting, habitat loss, and invasive predators sealed its fate. Now, more than 300 years later, scientists believe the dodo might walk the Earth again. Texas-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences has announced what it calls a “pivotal step” toward reviving the dodo.

In a stunning leap of genetic science, biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences has successfully brought back an animal long believed lost to time — the dire wolf, a prehistoric predator that last roamed North America over 10,000 years ago. Known for its bold ambition to resurrect extinct species, Colossal is also behind efforts to revive the woolly mammoth by 2028. But this year, the company made headlines by revealing that not only had it cloned four endangered red wolves — it had also successfully engineered the birth of three living dire wolves.