This week, the world met the woolly “mammouse”—a genetically engineered mouse with woolly mammoth hair. The scientists at Colossal Biosciences who created it think it’s a promising step toward their goal of recreating the woolly mammoth.

The biotech company Colossal Biosciences has long aspired to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth, which roamed the Northern Hemisphere thousands of years ago, during the last ice age. But for now, as a step along the way, the company has come up with something decidedly less mammoth: meet the woolly mouse.

The journey to the woolly mouse began with the woolly mammoth. Scientists at Colossal examined more than 100 genomes of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. They lined up those genomes side by side and compared them to find the parts which are crucial for making a mammoth.

The little rodents' genes were edited to exhibit traits associated with a woolly mammoth genome—including fluffy, dirty-blonde fur.

De-extinction company Colossal mixed mammoth and mouse mutations in a single strain to create a shaggy-haired rodent.

The de-extinction company Colossal Biosciences wants to bring back the woolly mammoth—starting with a very furry mouse.

Colossal Biosciences, known for its outlandish goal to resurrect the woolly mammoth by 2028, is claiming steady progress. Its evidence: genetically

It's been 4,000 years since the woolly mammoth roamed the Earth, but could this extinct species make a comeback? Some scientists in Texas say they're working on it and they're going to use mice to do it.

It will take a lot more genetic science than a few tweaks to hair length to make a mammoth from its closest living relative, the Asian elephant.