🇸🇮 Slovenian, 20 October 2026, genetic engineering
Colossal Biosciences Identifies Thousands of Genetic Links to Dodo's Unique Features
Researchers used AI to find over 2300 regulatory DNA segments associated with the dodo's distinctive beak and head.
The team created a ‘bird regulatory atlas’ using hundreds of bird samples, including pigeons, parrots, and doves, covering multiple stages of embryonic development. They then combined the data with scanning and genomic information from over 70 bird species, including the Nicobar pigeon. The AI identified 653 candidate regulatory elements linked to beak size and 1698 linked to beak thickness and width. The Colossal Biosciences team believes they have established a technological foundation to eventually recreate key dodo traits through genetic engineering.