This One’s Not About Data. Or Careers. Or Property Management.

Jurassic World or Okja? What is Colossal really planning?

So this one’s going to be different. Totally not about data, career transitioning, or property management. I’m a human in modern-day America, and like many of us, I require hobbies and interests to escape the hellscape that is gestures vaguely at everything.

Unfortunately, my escapist hobbies — mostly sci-fi books and dystopian video games — are starting to look a lot like the news. Funny how that happens.

If you know me, you know I’m big on video games and reading. And I don’t just mean the self-improvement books I sprinkle on my nightstand to look productive. I’m talking about the fun stuff — the kind with rogue science, corporate dystopias, and governments turning a blind eye until it's way too late. You know, stories that make you go, “This would never happen in real life.”

Well. About that.

The headlines this week? A $10 billion biotech company claims to have “de-extincted” a dire wolf. That’s right. We’ve apparently decided the next logical step after 125% tariffs and general societal chaos is to live out the Jurassic Parktimeline.

Let’s unpack that for a second.

Jurassic Bark: What Really Happened

First of all, no — they didn’t resurrect a dire wolf. They genetically engineered a gray wolf to express dire wolf-like traits. They’re calling it de-extinction, but let’s be honest: that’s a marketing term. What they’ve actually done is create a new, genetically modified species using modern gray wolves.

(And, by the way, they previously published research linking dire wolves more closely to jackals, not gray wolves. So, either science evolved real fast or the narrative did.)

Now, I’m no scientist. But I do understand enough about biology to know that this is way more incredible — and way more concerning — than the feel-good "we brought back a cool extinct animal" version they’re selling.

Because, let’s be real: “We created a new genetically modified mammal” doesn’t hit the headlines as hard as “We resurrected a 6-foot-long apex predator.”

But maybe it should.

Why This Should Make You Raise an Eyebrow (or Two)

What they’ve done here is push the boundaries of synthetic biology, using technologies like CRISPR to edit multiple genes at once. That’s no small feat. The ability to craft custom traits in animals — traits that mimic extinct species — is a giant leap for science.

But here’s the catch: this isn’t just a cool science project. It’s a for-profit company. So, of course, they have the incentive (and PR muscle) to spin the story in a way that sounds inspiring rather than unsettling. And when you strip away the press release fluff, it starts to feel less like biodiversity heroism and more like ecosystem engineering for fun and profit.

“De-Extinction” Sounds Cooler Than “New Species, Who Dis?”

The concept of de-extinction raises huge ethical and ecological questions. Can we ever really bring back an extinct species if the ecosystem they lived in is long gone? Can we just slot in a new version and expect nature to high-five us?

There’s a biodiversity crisis happening right now — a real one, where existing species are dying off due to habitat destruction, climate change, and human encroachment. Trying to reverse-engineer extinct species doesn't address the root problem. It’s like slapping a band-aid on a broken dam and calling it innovation.

We don’t need a lab-grown dire wolf to save biodiversity. We need to protect what’s still here.

So What’s the Real Takeaway?

I’m not anti-science — far from it. I’m pro-science and pro-critical thinking. As always, verify what you read. I recommend checking out people like Hank Green if you want digestible, trustworthy science content.

But here’s the thing: this story isn’t just about wolves. It’s about how we shape the narrative around science. It’s about how we prioritize attention and funding. And it’s about the stories we tell ourselves to feel like we’re solving problems — even when we might just be creating new ones.

So maybe it’s time to break out the tinfoil hat. Or maybe it’s time to ask better questions.

Either way, I’ll be over here rereading my favorite dystopian novel, wondering if it still counts as fiction.

Enjoyed this little detour into tech dystopia?
Follow me on Medium for more unfiltered insights, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter at RealMiguelRosa. You never know what topic I’ll spiral about next. 🌀