Creating Artificial Eggshells with 3D Printing Leads to the Hatching of 26 Chicks, Paving the Way for Reviving Extinct Species

Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company advocating for the revival of extinct species (de-extinction), announced this week that it has successfully hatched 26 chicks from artificial eggshells created using 3D printing technology. For the company, this achievement represents a crucial step toward its ambitious goal of resurrecting giant birds like the moa and dodo, which went extinct approximately 600 years ago.

What Are Artificial Eggshells? The artificial eggshells developed by Colossal Biosciences consist of two main components. The first is a semi-permeable silicone-based membrane lattice that protects the contents inside while allowing oxygen to pass through. The second is a rigid support cup that holds the structure together. Embryos are extracted from chicken eggs laid through natural processes. According to the company’s blog post, in the current workflow, eggs are inspected within 24 to 48 hours after being laid by hens. Viable candidates are selected, and their contents are transferred into the artificial eggshell structure after removing the original shell. The upstream biological processes, from fertilization to egg-laying, take place entirely within living birds, while the artificial eggshell serves as a container for the later stages of incubation. In other words, the artificial eggshell is not a site for genetic manipulation but rather a technology that provides an optimized environment for incubation.

Why Are Artificial Eggshells Necessary? This technology addresses the biological constraints of extinct species. For example, moa eggs are about eight times the size of emu eggs, making it impossible for any living bird species to act as a surrogate mother capable of producing such large eggs. As a substitute for the process of laying and incubating these enormous eggs, artificial eggshell technology becomes an essential piece of the puzzle. For their dodo project, the company is considering using the Nicobar pigeon as a candidate for surrogate egg production, while for the moa, the use of emus or ostriches is under consideration. Regardless, due to the physical limitations of existing bird species in producing and incubating large eggs, artificial eggshells are necessary to support the incubation process.

The Path to Reviving Extinct Species and the Controversy Colossal Biosciences previously garnered significant attention for its attempt to revive the extinct dire wolf. However, the company faced criticism, with some arguing that its methods merely produced genetically modified canines rather than true dire wolves. The announcement of the artificial eggshells has also drawn skepticism. Vincent Lynch, an evolutionary biologist at the State University of New York at Buffalo, commented to the Associated Press, “While this technology might allow the creation of genetically modified birds, they are still just genetically modified birds—not moas.” He further pointed out, “Since the biological processes that create the embryo are carried out entirely by living birds, what is being created is not an artificial egg but merely an artificial shell.” This critique highlights a fundamental issue: the biological processes that form the embryo rely entirely on living birds. The question of whether the species being recreated is genetically identical to the extinct species or merely a genetically modified version of a close relative remains a key debate in the field of de-extinction.

Potential Applications for Conservation On the other hand, Colossal Biosciences claims its technology could also be applied to the conservation of endangered species. While criticism persists that the focus should be on supporting the many endangered species currently on Earth, the company argues that artificial eggshell technology has the potential to contribute to conservation efforts. The technology could address specific challenges in conservation biology, such as improving egg hatching success rates or aiding in the reproduction of large bird species that lack surrogate mothers. However, much remains to be validated before the technology can be put to practical use.

Other Notable Science News This Week Beyond the topic of artificial eggshells, several other notable scientific developments have been reported this week. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) SMILE satellite was launched, marking the start of a mission to observe Earth’s magnetosphere. SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) aims to study the interaction between solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, contributing to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind geomagnetic storms. Research on Jupiter’s moon Europa has raised questions about the existence of water vapor plumes previously thought to erupt from its surface. The presence or absence of such plumes is a critical point of investigation in the search for potential life in Europa’s subsurface ocean. Additionally, SpaceX’s Starship V3 made its inaugural flight, which has also been a major topic of discussion. --- The news of chicks hatching from 3D-printed eggshells is a fascinating example of the potential at the intersection of technology and biology. However, the fundamental question of whether this constitutes the actual “revival of extinct species” or merely the creation of genetically modified close relatives is likely to remain a point of debate within the scientific community for years to come.