Breakthrough as scientists hatch live chicks from an ARTIFICIAL egg

"Scientists have managed to hatch live chicks from a fully artificial egg - marking a de-extinction breakthrough that paves the way for resurrecting long-dead species. Experts at Colossal Biosciences, the company planning to bring back the woolly mammoth, have created the first ever shell-less incubation system that mirrors a natural egg 'as much as possible'. The team were able to take early bird embryos, place them into an artificial shell and incubate them for 18 days while they developed. Once the chicks were ready, they hatched from their cosy home and are now living happy, healthy lives."

"The artificial egg device consists of a 3D-printed strong outer shell structured like a lattice to provide protection and rigidity. Within this layer is a silicone-based membrane that allows oxygen to diffuse into the system. Over the last 40 years there have been several attempts to create artificial eggs, but they required supplementation with large volumes of pure oxygen which caused DNA damage and impacted long-term animal health. The permeable membrane of this new design allows oxygen to naturally transfer from the atmosphere into the egg. This mirrors the real-life process of oxygen entering eggshells through microscopic pores."

"Colossal Biosciences said: 'This device changes everything. We're showing the world that we can grow this whole bird in an incubator outside of an eggshell.' 'It's a complete game-changer. Life finds a way.' The company said the development marks a critical milestone for their plans to de-extinct the South Island giant moa - an enormous bird that stood at 11.8ft (3.6 metres) tall and weighed 507lbs (230kg). It also provides a 'stepping stone' for the eventual development of an artificial womb."

"'How do we replicate nature but also improve upon it?' Colossal said. 'This is the first time the core engineering problem of artificial eggs has been solved.' The artificial egg also features a 'window' on the top, allowing for real-time visibility into every"

A shell-less incubation system enabled early bird embryos to develop inside an artificial shell for 18 days. The resulting chicks hatched and are living healthy lives. The system uses a 3D-printed outer lattice for protection and rigidity, paired with a silicone-based permeable membrane that allows oxygen to diffuse into the incubator environment. This approach avoids earlier methods that relied on large volumes of pure oxygen, which caused DNA damage and harmed long-term health. The design mirrors oxygen transfer through microscopic pores in real eggshells. The milestone supports plans to de-extinct the South Island giant moa and serves as a step toward developing an artificial womb.

Read at Mail Online