Colossal Biosciences says it has created an artificial eggshell that could help produce eggs the size of those once laid by New Zealand's extinct moa. Independent experts caution that the development falls far short of enabling the return of the giant birds.
The company, which previously claimed to have resurrected the dire wolf through gene editing, unveiled a lattice structure supporting a transparent silicone membrane. This membrane is said to permit oxygen flow at rates similar to a natural chicken eggshell without needing extra oxygen supply. Moas stood over three metres tall and weighed more than 200 kilograms, with eggs reaching 24 centimetres long and 18 centimetres wide.
