George R R Martin’s key role in bringing dire wolves to life revealed

George R. R. Martin is one of the few lucky people ever to see his fantasy become a reality.

Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based genetic engineering company, recently made a scientific breakthrough after announcing the rebirth of an extinct species.

The biotech firm disclosed on Monday that they have successfully engineered three grey wolves that contain the partial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the ancient dire wolf.

The two male pups were born in October 2024 and the only female was born in January this year.

The achievement became possible after bioengineers inserted DNA extracted from dire wolf fossils into embryos, which were then implanted into surrogates.

The dire wolves have become a part of Western pop culture after they appeared in the hit fantasy series Game of Thrones.

The animal played a crucial part in the story of the beloved Stark family, with Jon Snow’s Ghost being the fan favourite.

According to Ben Lamm, the CEO of Colossal Biosciences, the three wolves have “super thick fur, their tail is a little longer, [and] they are taller.”

Lamm told Comic Book Resources, “They’re 80 pounds right now, and a typical wolf is somewhere between 75 and 100 pounds for a male, and that’s kind of on the high side.”

The CEO further revealed that he flew author George R. R. Martin back in February so he could see his fantasy come to life.

Lamm said that the writer of A Song of Ice and Fire, the book series Game of Thrones is based on, “cried” when he saw the pups in person and declared it “one of the greatest things that he’s ever seen.”

Martin also shared in a statement that dire wolves have made a significant impact on the “American ecosystem.”

“I get the luxury to write about magic, but Ben and Colossal have created magic by bringing these majestic beasts back to our world,” the 76-year-old continued.

It is worth noting that the author is also a shareholder and cultural advisor for Colossal Biosciences.

Hence, it is not incorrect to say that not only did Martin play a key role in solidifying dire wolves in Western mythology but he also played an integral part in bringing the 1,000-year-old creature back into this world.

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