Colossal generates value not by selling resurrected animals but by spinning out valuable technology companies developed during its R&D, such as a computational biology platform. The long-term vision involves biodiversity credits rather than direct sales.

CEO Ben Lamb counters ethical criticism by arguing that humanity is already negatively "playing God" by causing mass extinction. He posits a moral obligation to use technology to reverse the damage we've caused, turning the common critique on its head.

With directed evolution, scientists find a mutated enzyme that works without knowing why. Even with the "answer"—the exact genetic changes—the complexity of protein interactions makes it incredibly difficult to reverse-engineer the underlying mechanism. The solution often precedes the understanding.

Frances Arnold, an engineer by training, reframed biological evolution as a powerful optimization algorithm. Instead of a purely biological concept, she saw it as a process for iterative design that could be harnessed in the lab to build new enzymes far more effectively than traditional methods.

Colossal clarifies its process is not true cloning but "functional de-extinction." It involves editing the genome of a close living relative (like a gray wolf) to reintroduce the specific genes and traits of an extinct species, using the living animal as a 99%+ genetic base.

Concerns about AI's negative effects, like cognitive offloading in students, are valid but should be analyzed separately from the objective advancements in AI capabilities, which continue on a strong upward trend. Conflating the two leads to flawed conclusions about progress stalling.

Colossal's CEO admits that headline-grabbing projects like the dire wolf overshadow more impactful but less "sexy" work, such as saving the critically endangered red wolf. The glamorous projects act as a funnel for attention and funding for broader conservation efforts.

Physicist Brian Cox's most-cited paper explored what physics would look like without the Higgs boson. The subsequent discovery of the Higgs proved the paper's premise wrong, yet it remains highly cited for the novel detection techniques it developed. This illustrates that the value of scientific work often lies in its methodology and exploratory rigor, not just its ultimate conclusion.

Colossal CEO Ben Lamb, a software entrepreneur with no biology background, approached top geneticist George Church seeking world-changing problems. His ability to build teams and secure capital, unconstrained by scientific dogma, was key to launching the ambitious de-extinction venture.