Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
In 2008, scientists revived a Tasmanian tiger gene inside a mouse embryo, proving ancient DNA could function in living cells.
In 2023, researchers found a 110-year-old Tasmanian tiger head, containing RNA once thought impossible to recover — a major leap for genome reconstruction.
Professor Andrew Pask says new tools to sequence damaged DNA and edit genomes make de-extinction feasible today, unlike past efforts.
Credit: Museums Victoria
The preserved tiger head held rare RNA molecules, offering instructions to rebuild proteins and better understand thylacine biology.
With leaps in stem cell science and DNA editing, researchers from University of Melbourne and Colossal Biosciences (since 2022) are closer than ever to reviving extinct animals.
Unlike the failed 2003 Pyrenean ibex clone, today's genetic technologies give real hope for success in reviving the Tasmanian tiger.
Unlike woolly mammoths (targeted for a 2027 return), scientists aim to bring back less dangerous species, like the thylacine — a pouched marsupial, not a wolf.
This marks the first serious attempt since 1936, when the last known Tasmanian tiger died, to reverse extinction with genetic engineering.
Researchers say all signs point to real success in coming years, making a future with Tasmanian tigers a likely reality, not science fiction.