Are Fenrir and Dire Wolves One and the Same? Scale Comparison of the Two and Their Ancient-Modern Existence
Dire Wolf: Claim of De-Extinction Sparks Debate Among Experts
In a groundbreaking announcement, biotech company Colossal Biosciences recently claimed to have brought back the extinct dire wolf through gene editing and cloning technology. The company appears to have recreated three wolf pups known as Khaleesi, Romulus, and Remus, using DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull.
However, the scientific community has expressed doubts about this claim. Many experts argue that these are not genuine dire wolves but genetically modified gray wolves, exhibiting certain dire wolf-like traits, such as larger size and distinctive fur colors.
Dire wolves, once dominant predators in North and South America, disappeared around 12,500 years ago due to climate change, food scarcity, and competition from other predators. Nowadays, they are popular in pop culture, particularly in the hit television series Game of Thrones, and hold deep cultural significance for communities like America's MHA Nation.
Colossal took DNA samples from ancient dire wolf fossils and edited 20 genetic variants across 14 genes in cells from gray wolves—their closest living relatives. These genetic edits gave rise to six-month-old Romulus and Remus, weighing approximately 80 pounds, with Khaleesi expected to join them soon.
In Norse mythology, Fenrir is often associated with the dire wolf. Fenrir, the giant and fearsome wolf, was the son of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboda, and is linked to Hel and Jörmungandr (the World Serpent). As the end of the gods approaches in Norse mythology, Fenrir will be released, causing destruction and ultimately being slain by Odin's son Vidar.
When comparing the dimensions of dire wolves and modern gray wolves, it can be seen that dire wolves were larger, more substantial, and scarier. Dire wolves stood around 3.5 feet tall, measured 6 feet in length, and weighed up to 150 pounds, compared to gray wolves that typically weigh around 80 to 100 pounds.
While Colossal Biosciences has made an impressive advancement, their claimed revival of the dire wolf remains a topic of debate among experts due to potential concerns around ethical implications and the true nature of their creations.
- The field of environmental science has raised concerns regarding the impact of climate change on the revival of medical conditions, such as those that led to the extinction of dire wolves.
- In the realm of entertainment, dire wolves are widely recognized from their depiction in television series like Game of Thrones, yet their significance extends to cultural heritage within communities like America's MHA Nation.
- As technology advances in the realm of medical-conditions and genetics, as demonstrated by Colossal Biosciences' claim of de-extinction, it leaves us questioning the role of technology in sports, where genetically modified animals could potentially alter the dynamics of competitions.
