Woolly mammoths? Mars? Let's take care of what we've got

The creation of a 'mammoth mouse' raises questions about the allocation of scarce resources in scientific quests.

- Lara Williams

Last week, science delivered a really cute experimental result. Researchers created a "colossal woolly mouse", a fluffy rodent that's purported to be a step on the way to resurrecting woolly mammoths from prehistory.

But that project - along with Mr Elon Musk's obsession with establishing a colony on Mars - makes me wonder: Wouldn't the enthusiasm and resources be better devoted to protecting the animals and planet we already have?

Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based start-up, provided details in a paper earlier in March, which hasn't yet been peer-reviewed. Each mammouse - forgive me - had seven genes altered to give it an abundance of golden fluff and an altered fat metabolism. The mice will be observed to see if they're better adapted to cold temperatures.

The company's aim is to genetically modify Asian elephants to express woolly mammoth traits; the mice offered an easier way to test the impact of the proposed tweaks. But some scientists are sceptical about whether this really brings us closer to creating a living woolly mammoth.

"Colossal's team made a number of genetic changes... that are already known to produce longer, thicker, wavier - or woollier - coats in mice," Dr Tori Herridge, a senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield, said in an emailed comment. "A mammoth is much more than just an elephant in a fur coat. It isn't yet known which sections of the genome are vital for achieving the characteristics needed to make an elephant fit for life in the Arctic Circle."