Summary:
- Scientists are considering the possibility of "de-extincting" the dire wolf, a large predatory animal that went extinct around 10,000 years ago.
- The dire wolf was much larger than today's gray wolves and could have weighed up to 200 pounds. It was a powerful hunter that likely preyed on large animals like bison and mammoths.
- Bringing back the dire wolf would be a complex and controversial process, as it would involve using DNA from ancient dire wolf fossils to create a new population of the animals. Experts are debating whether this is a good idea or a "colossal mistake."