A Texas-based biotech company has made a major breakthrough by hatching live chicks from artificial eggs for the first time—a development that researchers say could one day help revive extinct birds like the dodo and the giant moa.
Colossal Biosciences designed a reusable titanium egg lined with a bioengineered membrane that mimics the oxygen transfer of a natural eggshell. Using this technology, scientists successfully hatched 26 healthy chickens while closely monitoring their development from embryo to birth, according to The New York Post.
Artificial Eggs Could Revolutionize Avian Reproduction
“We didn’t just copy nature,” said CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm. “We tried to re-engineer it.” The hatched chicks will remain at the company’s avian facility for their entire lives.
Researchers believe the technology could significantly improve hatch rates for endangered bird species and advance Colossal’s broader mission to bring back extinct birds. The moa, a massive flightless bird that once roamed New Zealand, could weigh up to 500 pounds, while the dodo, hunted to extinction in the 17th century, could also be a candidate for revival.
Scalable Technology for Large Birds
The artificial egg is compatible with standard incubators and can potentially support eggs as large as those laid by moa birds. Before scaling the technology further, Colossal plans to test it with emu and ostrich eggs to refine the system.
The moa revival project is being conducted in partnership with New Zealand’s Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and filmmaker Peter Jackson, who is also an investor in Colossal Biosciences. Lamm told The New York Post that the moa could potentially be revived by the early 2030s, while the dodo might return within four to five years.
Scientific Significance
“The avian reproductive toolkit has lagged behind mammalian systems for decades because birds present unique developmental challenges,” explained Dr. Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief science officer. “The artificial egg changes that.”
The breakthrough marks a major step forward in synthetic biology and conservation science, offering hope for endangered species and the possibility of reviving birds that disappeared centuries ago.
