Is the CIA bringing back extinct woolly mammoths?

While there is a lot of scepticism around the concept of bringing back an extinct animal like the mighty woolly mammoth, some reports say that the CIA is investing in technology that would resurrect the long-dead animals.

The biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences has entirely dedicated itself to resurrecting the massive elephants by "combining its genes with Asian elephant DNA, and the Tasmanian tiger".

According to The Intercept, the CIA has invested in the "de-extinction company" despite the sceptics. Previously, the company tried to bring back the Tasmanian tiger. 

In 2019, several media outlets reported that researchers had managed to revive some mammoth cells. With reports of the CIA involving itself in the matter, the concept becomes even more intriguing.

It is not clear why the CIA would be interested. A company called In-Q-Tel has put money in the tech corporation which is funded by the intelligence organisation.

"Strategically, it’s less about the mammoths and more about the capability," read an In-Q-Tel blog post.

"It is important for all facets of our government to develop them and have an understanding of what is possible,” Colossal co-founder Ben Lamm told The Intercept.