Scientists discuss fact vs. fiction of 'Jurassic World Rebirth'

Scientists talk 'Jurrasic World' fact and fiction

Scientists at Colossal Biosciences say while the de-extinction of dinosaurs makes for good movies, dinosaur DNA is just too old to be recovered for the use of bringing them back to life.

Just when you thought dinosaurs were extinct once and for all, they’ve come roaring back to life in "Jurassic World Rebirth."

The new movie — released earlier this week — is the seventh feature film in the blockbuster "Jurassic" franchise, which launched in 1993 with the original Steven Spielberg-directed "Jurassic Park." And since that movie first hit theaters, people around the world have been asking: is it really possible to de-extinct dinosaurs with DNA extracted from a mosquito in amber?

"No," laughs Beth Shapiro, Ph.D., who serves as the chief science officer at Colossal Biosciences. "The oldest DNA that’s been recovered from a bone is less than 2 million years old, and that is really rare. Most of the DNA that we can recover is from the last 50,000 years or so. So, very recent species."

For the record, experts say dinosaurs went extinct around 65 million years ago.

Still, while the "Jurassic" films may be entirely fiction, it is a scientific fact that companies like Colossal Biosciences really are exploring the idea of reversing extinction. The company made headlines earlier this year with its project to bring back the extinct dire wolf.

"Colossal is the world’s first de-extinction and species preservation company," explains CEO Ben Lamm. "So, we’re actually using a lot of tools — computational biology, AI, and genetic engineering — to bring back lost species as well as build technologies that can actually save species."

Lamm says one place where art really does imitate life is in the question of ethics; remember, Jeff Goldblum spent the entire first film asking (and we’re paraphrasing here), "Just because we can bring something back…should we?"

"If you look at the current trajectory we’re on, it’s forecasted that 50% percent of all biodiversity could be critically endangered of going extinct in the next 25 years," says Lamm. "So, our vision was that if we can bring back select species while going through a pretty robust ethical framework — working with indigenous people groups, private landowners, governments — trying to understand, you know, is there a reason to bring back this species? That is what guides whether we do it or not."

"Jurassic World Rebirth" stars Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali — for more information on the film, click here.