Re-Aliving the Lost Species: Inside the Science That Could Change Nature Forever

For centuries, extinction was considered the ultimate endpoint of life. Once a species disappeared from Earth, it was gone forever, surviving only in fossils, museum exhibits, and history books.

Today, however, a new generation of scientists, geneticists, and entrepreneurs is challenging that assumption. Their goal is not merely to preserve endangered animals but to explore whether extinct species can, in some form, be brought back to life.

At the centre of this bold movement is Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, a company that has transformed the once science-fiction concept of de-extinction into a serious scientific endeavour. Founded in 2021 by Ben Lamm and renowned geneticist George Church, the Dallas-based biotechnology company is pioneering what many are calling the era of "re-aliving" lost species.

What Does Re-Aliving a Species Mean?

The term "de-extinction" often evokes images of Jurassic Park-style resurrections. In reality, the science is far more complex and nuanced.

According to Colossal Biosciences, de-extinction involves creating animals that are genetically similar to extinct species by restoring key genetic traits through advanced gene editing technologies rather than cloning an entire extinct organism.

Scientists analyse ancient DNA recovered from fossils, preserved tissues, or remains found in permafrost. By comparing this DNA with that of a living relative, researchers identify the genes responsible for distinctive traits.

Technologies such as CRISPR are then used to edit the DNA of the living species, potentially producing animals that resemble their extinct ancestors.

In essence, re-aliving a species is not about turning back the clock. It is about reconstructing biological characteristics that have been lost to time.

The Mammoth Mission

Among the most ambitious projects undertaken by Colossal Biosciences is the effort to recreate the woolly mammoth. Scientists are studying mammoth DNA preserved in Arctic permafrost and comparing it with the genome of the Asian elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative.

The goal is to introduce mammoth traits such as cold-resistant hair, fat storage adaptations, and other survival characteristics into elephant cells. The resulting animal would not be an exact woolly mammoth but a mammoth-like elephant capable of thriving in cold environments.

Supporters believe such animals could eventually contribute to ecosystem restoration efforts in Arctic regions, while critics argue that the ecological consequences remain uncertain.

More Than Mammoths

The company's vision extends beyond the Ice Age giant. Researchers are also working on projects involving the dodo, Tasmanian tiger (thylacine), dire wolf, and other extinct species.

A 2-years old Dire Wolf

These projects have generated global attention because they represent the possibility of restoring species that vanished due to natural events or human influence. They also serve as testing grounds for technologies that could help living species survive in an increasingly challenging world.

A New Tool for Conservation

Perhaps the most compelling argument for re-aliving lost species is its potential impact on conservation.

According to Ben Lamm, the technologies being developed for de-extinction can also be applied to endangered animals. Techniques such as gene editing, reproductive technologies, stem-cell engineering, and biodiversity preservation could help species that are currently at risk of disappearing.

Many conservationists see value in these innovations because traditional conservation methods alone may not be enough to counter habitat loss, climate change, disease, and declining genetic diversity. By creating new scientific tools, researchers hope to strengthen existing conservation efforts rather than replace them.

The Ethical Questions

As exciting as the science may be, it raises profound ethical questions.

Should humans attempt to reverse extinction? Can recreated animals truly be considered the same species as those that once existed? Would resources be better spent protecting animals that are still alive today?

Some scientists argue that genetically modified animals are not genuine de-extinctions because they are modern organisms carrying selected traits from extinct species. Others worry about ecological risks and animal welfare concerns.

These debates highlight a larger question: just because science can achieve something, should it?

Rewriting Humanity's Relationship with Nature

The idea of re-aliving lost species represents one of the most ambitious scientific experiments of the twenty-first century. It challenges long-held beliefs about extinction, conservation, and humanity's role in shaping the natural world.

Whether projects led by Ben Lamm and Colossal Biosciences ultimately succeed or not, they have already transformed the conversation around biodiversity and genetic technology.

For the first time in history, extinction is no longer viewed solely as a permanent ending. Instead, it is becoming a scientific frontier, one that could redefine the future of conservation and our understanding of life itself.

As genetic technology advances, the question may no longer be whether we can re-alive lost species, but how responsibly we choose to use that extraordinary power.

Spotify Opens a New Chapter in India with the Launch of Audiobooks

From today, more than 3,50,000 English titles and 7,000 Indian-language audiobooks join your favourite songs and podcasts at launch, with many more stories still to come.

A thriller on the local train. A memoir on the morning walk. Philosophy before lights out. From today, Spotify brings audiobooks to India, putting your music, podcasts and books in one place.

India has always listened. Its epics travelled by voice, grandparents told stories at bedtime, and a new generation has made podcasts a daily habit. Audiobooks on Spotify are the next chapter. With Audiobooks+, listeners get 15 hours a month, with an option to top up or buy individual titles, across a vast catalogue of classics, blockbusters and new discoveries, moving with them alongside their music and podcasts.

Amarjit Singh Batra, GM South Asia, Middle East, Africa & MD India at Spotify, said, “Storytelling in India has always been as much about listening as reading. By bringing audiobooks to Spotify, we are making books as accessible as the music and podcasts our listeners already enjoy. Our focus is on helping listeners in India discover their next book, and helping Indian authors, including independent and self-published voices through Spotify for Authors, reach new audiences in India and around the world.”

The world is listening too. Spotify's monthly audiobook listeners are up around 40% year on year, listening hours have grown more than 30%, and in the US, 18 to 34 year olds make up 57% of audiobook listeners on the platform. Spotify now carries more than 8,00,000 audiobooks from nearly 300 publishers and over 50,000 authors worldwide.

What listeners in India get

A catalogue built for India: Choose from more than 3,50,000 English titles and almost 7,000 Indian-language audiobooks at launch, from global bestsellers to Indian voices. Audiences can delve into rich regional narratives across Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. The collection spans literary masterpieces such as Premchand’s Godaan, Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan, and Tagore’s Kabuliwala, along with celebrated works including Dharamvir Bharati’s Gunahon Ka Devta and Ami Ganatra’s Mahabharata Unravelled.

Pricing that gives you freedom to explore: For ₹199 a month, Audiobooks+ gives you 15 hours of listening across the full catalogue, whether you’re on Free or Premium. How you spend those hours is entirely up to you: move between several books at once, sample a few chapters, explore an unfamiliar genre, or start a new title whenever inspiration strikes. Need more time? Top up your hours or buy individual titles outright. Start listening today with Audiobooks+, right in your Spotify app, or head to the hub to learn more.

Discovery that knows your taste: Your next favourite book finds you the way your next favourite artist does, through personalised recommendations and audiobook charts shaped by what you love. Thrillers, mysteries, romance, self-help, fantasy, there’s a story for every mood.

Page Match, so you never lose your place: Scan the ISBN of the book in your hands and Spotify picks up the audiobook from the exact page, so the story keeps going when you have to get going. More than one million people have used Page Match globally since February.

Listen offline: Download audiobooks and listen without a connection, just like your music and podcasts.

Set a Sleep Timer: Drift off to a story, and it’ll stop playing when you do.

Spotify for Authors comes to India

With this launch, Spotify for Authors is available to writers in India. Self-published and independent authors can distribute their audiobooks on Spotify, view insights on their listeners worldwide, and access marketing tools including redemption codes. Partnerships are non-exclusive, and authors retain the freedom to distribute their work on other platforms.

How to get started:
• Update to the latest version of the Spotify app and open the Audiobooks hub, or search for any title
• Choose a book and add Audiobooks+
• Manage your plan at spotify.com/account or at http://spotify.com/audiobooks
• Press play

About Spotify

Spotify’s platform revolutionized music listening forever when we launched in 2008. Today, more listeners than ever can discover, manage and enjoy over 100 million tracks, 7 million podcast titles, and 700,000 audiobooks in select markets on Spotify. We are the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with 777 million users, including 300 million subscribers across 184 markets.

Vertiv Launches Global Ecosystem for End-to-End Thermal and Fluid Management in AI-Scale Data Centers

Expanded Dow collaboration and new Solenis partnership combine thermal infrastructure, fluid health, monitoring and lifecycle services for AI-scale liquid cooling

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, announced a global ecosystem offering that brings together an expanded collaboration with Dow, a materials science company and provider of advanced coolant technologies, and a new partnership with Solenis, a provider of specialty chemicals and water treatment solutions, to help operators manage and optimize liquid cooling infrastructure as a single, integrated thermal system. The initiative integrates Vertiv’s infrastructure, monitoring and global service capabilities with fluid chemistry, coolant and water treatment expertise.

As AI workloads drive unprecedented computing densities, liquid cooling is becoming a system-management challenge, not simply a component challenge. Reliability and performance now depend on the entire thermal chain, from heat rejection and chilled water infrastructure through facility and technology cooling loops, coolant distribution, fluid chemistry, filtration, leak detection, monitoring and controls.

“AI is changing liquid cooling from an equipment decision into a system-management imperative,” said Ron Bednar, Senior Vice President of Global and Americas Services at Vertiv. “Operators need to manage thermal infrastructure, fluid health, monitoring and lifecycle service as one interconnected discipline. We believe that managing these complex interdependencies and fluid chemistry together will help operators improve system efficiency and uptime, reduce risk and extend equipment life.”

Vertiv expanded its collaboration with Dow through the Dow Coolant Care Network and initiated a new partnership with Solenis to support end-to-end fluid management and thermal infrastructure services. Integrated with Vertiv’s monitoring and lifecycle capabilities, these offerings help customers maintain fluid quality, address system issues and optimize liquid cooling performance throughout the system lifecycle.

Through this ecosystem, Vertiv, Dow, and Solenis will help customers:

• Design for system compatibility: Optimize cooling systems for maintainability and operational efficiency while ensuring compatibility across fluids, materials and infrastructure components.
• Establish clean, stable systems: Use engineered flushing, precision filling, commissioning and filtration practices to protect cooling infrastructure and maintain system cleanliness.
• Monitor the thermal system: Gain unified visibility into thermal infrastructure through the Vertiv™ Next Predict monitoring and analytics platform.
• Detect and address issues early: Use continuous monitoring and integrated leak detection technologies to support early operational response and improve resilience.
• Continuously optimize performance: Apply advanced analytics, software and data-driven insights to improve efficiency and water utilization.
• Manage fluid health and total cost: Proactively manage fluid chemistry across technical and facility water systems based on system operating conditions to support equipment life and reduce total cost of ownership.

Vertiv integrates thermal infrastructure, fluid health, monitoring and lifecycle services into a unified operating model for high-density liquid-cooled infrastructure.

For more information on Vertiv's end-to-end portfolio of power and thermal management, infrastructure solutions, IT systems and services for critical digital applications, visit Vertiv.com.

About Vertiv Holdings Co.

Vertiv Holdings Co. (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv does business in more than 130 countries. For more information, and for the latest news and content from Vertiv, visit Vertiv.com.

Spacetech Startup Inbound Aerospace Successfully Conducts Initial Trials of India's First Precision Aerial Delivery System

• The test marks a step forward in developing and commercialising a critical subsystem for precision landings of its reusable spacecraft.
• Unlike conventional dumb parachute drops that only reduce descent speed, PADS achieves precision landings within a 100-metre radius of a designated location.

Inbound Aerospace, a Chennai-based, IIT Madras-incubated startup developing a reusable spacecraft, successfully completed an aerial drop test of an indigenously developed Precision Aerial Delivery System (PADS); a first by a private Indian entity.

PADS, a critical subsystem of the reusable spacecraft, in simpler terms, is a smart parachute deployment system capable of autonomous guidance and precise landings. The precision drop test, a first from an Indian startup, is part of a broader set of subsequent tests planned from up to 30 km or the edge of space.

While Inbound Aerospace develops its reusable spacecraft modelled on a lifting-body design slated for launch in 2028 to enable the return leg of orbital logistics, PADS enable a controlled, safe descent to a pre-designated landing site once the spacecraft re-enters Earth's atmosphere. Unlike conventional unguided parachute drops that reduce descent speed, PADS achieves precision landings, delivering payloads within a 200-metre radius, a capability that is being further refined.

Beyond an integral subsystem of the reusable spacecraft's retrieval mechanism, PADS also has individual applications in emergency response, aerial defence logistics and safety systems, where precision delivery of payloads is a critical capability. Currently, such systems are imported from the USA or Europe. PADS delivers payloads accurately using onboard GPS navigation and autonomous GNS systems in GPS-denied environments. It can steer payloads and alter its flight path in real time to account for diverse geographies, weather conditions and inaccessible terrain.

Currently available in two variants: PADS Modular, which can carry payloads of 10–200 kg, and PADS 2K, designed for heavier payloads of 200–2,000 kg. Both variants can be deployed from altitudes of up to 7,000 metres above mean sea level. The same system is also being commercialised as a drone safety and recovery system.

As commercial space activity grows, with the global space economy currently valued at US$550–600 billion and ISRO planning the Gaganyaan mission and multi-module assembly for Chandrayaan-4, precise payload recovery post re-entry is emerging as a critical capability. Other factors accelerating demand are the scheduled deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030 and the transition of microgravity-based research and manufacturing from government-led scientific experimentation to commercial high-value applications in pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, semiconductors and medical technologies.

About Inbound Aerospace

Inbound Aerospace is an IIT Madras-incubated aerospace startup developing an autonomous, unmanned, free-flying and recoverable spacecraft platform, aiding low-Earth-orbit missions. Focused on solving a core gap in the emerging space economy, aligned with ISRO plans to accelerate its launch frequency and transition toward advanced human spaceflight and orbital infrastructure. While launch services become more accessible, regular and reliable, the return leg from orbit remains a major challenge.

Inbound Aerospace is building a reusable re-entry spacecraft to enable in-orbit technology demonstrations, microgravity research and in-space manufacturing. After completing the experiment or mission phase, the spacecraft is intended to de-orbit, withstand extremely high thermal re-entry loads, autonomously navigate and execute a controlled landing on a runway or designated landing site. This approach positions Inbound as India’s first payload-return and orbital logistics company. While launch services provide access to orbit, Inbound Aerospace is building the capability to return hardware, samples, and manufactured products to the ground.

This capability is especially important for pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, advanced materials, semiconductors, fibre optics and other sectors where the value of space-based work depends on recovering the payload quickly and intact. Alongside orbital logistics and microgravity-as-a-service, Inbound is developing precision-landing capabilities with near-term relevance to defence and disaster-response systems in extremely remote environments. The core dual-use platform, guidance, navigation and control systems, also supports remote terrestrial supply drops where conventional parachute drops or drone logistics are unreliable.

Dr Aravind I B, Co-founder, Inbound Aerospace

Dr Aravind brings deep aerospace research experience to Inbound Aerospace’s mission of making sustained microgravity research and payload return more accessible. With an MS+PhD in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Space Engineering from IIT Madras, Dr Aravind focused on liquid rocket engine combustion. He has deep experience in designing, setting up and testing experimental aerospace facilities, and has been associated with IIT Madras microgravity research infrastructure, including the NCCRD Microgravity Drop Tower at IIT Madras. Prior to teaming up with his cofounders at Inbound Aerospace, Dr Aravind also worked on GE Aerospace’s dual annular counter-rotating swirler pre-mixer and contributed to ISRO’s Hypersonic Scramjet Engine Flight Test Demonstrator, which was flight-tested successfully in 2016.

Vishal Reddy, Co-founder, Inbound Aerospace

Vishal brings experience across engineering program execution, business strategy and data-led decision-making to Inbound's pioneering work on reusable orbital logistics. He holds a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Columbia University and previously worked with Tesla as an Engineering Program Manager Intern, where he led 15+ projects across stages of execution and helped ramp Model Y production at the Texas Gigafactory. He has also worked as a Graduate Data Science Consultant with UNDP, which used satellite night-time light data to estimate subnational GDP.

Captain Abhijit Bhutey (Retd), Co-founder, Inbound Aerospace

Captain Abhijit (Retd) brings a mission-operations and defence aviation lens to Inbound Aerospace’s work on precision landing, payload recovery and high-consequence aerospace systems. A former Indian Navy aviator, he has flown MiG-29K aircraft, completed 120 carrier landings, participated in international exercises, and operated across day-and-night missions, air-to-air refuelling, and missile firings. He has also held command responsibility as Commanding Officer of a warship/squadron, served as directing staff for mid-level officers at Staff College, Wellington, and mentors the PGP batch 2023-25 at IIM Nagpur. He holds an MSc in Defence & Strategic Studies and an MA in Aviation Law & Airline Management. At Inbound, Abhijit focuses on mission safety, precision landing systems, defence logistics and spacecraft recovery.

India’s Corporate Giants Invest $40 Billion in the US, Creating Jobs and Driving Growth

Indian companies are strengthening their footprint in the United States with investments exceeding $40 billion, underscoring the growing economic partnership between the world's two largest democracies.

More than 160 Indian companies operate across all 50 US states, collectively contributing over $40 billion in tangible investments. These investments have generated hundreds of thousands of jobs and fostered innovation through research and development projects.

Manufacturing Leads the Charge

A significant share of recent investments is flowing into manufacturing and industrial expansion. JSW Steel has reaffirmed plans to modernise its facilities in Ohio and Texas, while Jindal Pipe and Jindal Tubular USA are expanding operations in Texas and Mississippi. These projects are expected to boost production capacity and strengthen local supply chains.

New manufacturing ventures are also emerging. Abhyuday Group plans major investments across multiple US locations, while companies such as Jivo Wellness and Polyhose Inc. are expanding their American operations, contributing to job creation and industrial growth.

Pharmaceutical Giants Deepen US Presence

Indian pharmaceutical companies are among the largest investors. Firms including Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Aurobindo Pharma, Biocon Group, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Granules India, Jubilant Group, Lupin, Piramal Pharma, and Zydus Lifesciences have announced or expanded investments aimed at increasing production, research capabilities, and healthcare supply chain resilience in the US.

These investments highlight India's growing role in supporting America's pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem and ensuring a steady supply of essential medicines.

Technology Firms Continue Expansion

Indian IT and technology leaders have also played a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral economic ties. Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, HCL Technologies, Wipro, and Mahindra Group have established extensive operations across the United States, partnering with businesses, educational institutions, and local communities.

The next wave of investment is increasingly focused on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies. Companies including Sterlite Technologies, Techdome Solutions, RoshAi, Atri AI, Kissflow, and SatoriXR are investing in innovation hubs and technology infrastructure across the country.

A Growing Strategic Partnership

The expansion of Indian businesses in the US reflects more than just commercial opportunity. It demonstrates the deepening strategic and economic relationship between India and the United States. Industry surveys show strong confidence in future growth, with many Indian firms planning further investment and hiring in the coming years.

As Indian manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and technology giants continue to scale operations in America, their investments are creating jobs, advancing innovation, and strengthening one of the most important economic partnerships of the 21st century.