>The dodo, a Mauritian bird last seen in the 17th century, will be brought back to at least a semblance of life if attempts by a gene editing company are successful.
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>Gene editing techniques now exist that allow scientists to mine the dodo genome for key traits that they believe they can then effectively reassemble within the body of a living relative.
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>Dodos are most closely related to pigeons, according to sequencing of the proverbially dead bird’s genome.
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>The scientists in question said their work, beyond providing an insight into the extinct dodo’s existence, could help inform the conservation of rare species that are not yet extinct. However, there is a fierce debate among biologists over whether this sort of research should be pursued.
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>Colossal Biosciences, the gene editing company involved, has already embarked on projects to revive the woolly mammoth and the thylacine. But the dodo would be its first bird, which is significant as it means changing the gene editing technique to accommodate an external egg.