Peter Jackson Funds De-Extinction Project: Bringing Back the Giant Moa

Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Colossal Biosciences have partnered on a $15 million project to genetically engineer a bird resembling the extinct giant moa. Using genetic material from existing birds and advanced gene editing techniques, they aim to create a creature similar to this 12-foot-tall flightless bird. The project, while met with some scientific skepticism regarding the feasibility of fully recreating an extinct species, has garnered support from Māori scholars, highlighting the intersection of science, conservation, and cultural heritage.