Full Breakdown
Colossal Biosciences Hatches Chickens in 3D-Printed Artificial Egg, Advancing Avian De-Extinction
5/19/2026, 10:59:55 PM
Breakthrough: Live Chicks from a Synthetic Egg
On May 19 2026, Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 chicken embryos developed to hatching inside a 3D-printed artificial egg in its Texas laboratory. The device replaces a biological shell with a titanium lattice and a silicone-based membrane, allowing embryos to be observed through a top opening and to hatch without a surrogate bird. The chicks now reside at the company’s avian facility.
Design and Development
The artificial egg consists of a rigid titanium grid shaped like a tea infuser, lined with a bio-engineered silicone membrane that mimics the gas-exchange pores of a natural shell. The membrane delivers about 21 % more oxygen than a typical chicken eggshell, while calcium is added manually because the titanium structure cannot supply it. The system fits standard incubators, is reusable, and is described as “fully scalable and biologically accurate.”
Key Figures and Stakeholders
CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm leads the project, supported by Chief Science Officer Dr. Beth Shapiro and Chief Biology Officer Andrew Pask. The effort involves the Ngai Tahu Research Centre and investor Peter Jackson. Independent scientists cited include evolutionary biologist Vincent Lynch (University at Buffalo), bird-reproduction expert Nicola Hemmings (University of Sheffield), bioethicist Arthur Caplan (NYU Grossman School of Medicine), and biologist Jeanne Loring (Scripps Institute).
Data and Statistics
- 26 chickens hatched; more than 30 have been raised at the facility.
- Incubation period roughly 21 days.
- Moa eggs are estimated at 80 × the volume of a chicken egg and 8 × that of an emu egg.
- The artificial membrane’s oxygen transfer exceeds that of a natural shell by ~21 %.
Why It Matters
Colossal argues the platform could rescue endangered bird embryos that fail to hatch in captivity, enable de-extinction of species lacking a surrogate (e.g., the South Island Giant Moa, the dodo), and provide a new model for studying avian development. The technology also promises broader applications in conservation biology and genome-engineering research.
Official Statements & Responses
Ben Lamm said the team “didn’t just copy nature; we tried to re-engineer it,” emphasizing scalability and potential for “undoing the sins of the past.” Dr. Shapiro noted that “the artificial egg changes” the lagging avian reproductive toolkit. Andrew Pask described the system as “a novel shell-less culture that is fully scalable and biologically accurate.” Colossal’s chief animal officer Matt James highlighted the egg’s ability to “rescue compromised embryos” and support “critically endangered species broadly.” Independent experts acknowledged the engineering advance but stressed that the device currently supplies only calcium and lacks some natural egg components.
Criticism & Opposition
Vincent Lynch warned that the device is “an artificial eggshell, not an artificial egg,” arguing it cannot alone produce a true moa. Nicola Hemmings expressed a preference for preserving existing species over resurrecting extinct ones. Arthur Caplan questioned the future habitat for any revived animal. Jeanne Loring warned that de-extinction “could be very cruel” and “catastrophic” due to unknown variables.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether the system qualifies as a full artificial egg versus an artificial eggshell, with some emphasizing missing calcium-sourcing mechanisms and others highlighting the membrane’s superior oxygen transfer. No data are provided on long-term health of the hatched chicks or on how the technology will scale to moa-size eggs.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We didn’t just copy nature,” — Ben Lamm, CEO, Colossal Biosciences
- “The artificial egg changes that.” — Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer, Colossal Biosciences
- “They might be able to use this technology to help them make a genetically modified bird, but that's just a genetically modified bird. It's not a moa,” — Vincent Lynch, evolutionary biologist, University at Buffalo
- “The genome is the blueprint, but without a place to build, it’s meaningless.” — Andrew Pask, Chief Biology Officer, Colossal Biosciences
What’s Next
Colossal plans to test the platform with pigeon embryos (smaller) and emu embryos (larger) before scaling to a moa-sized artificial egg, targeting an “early- to mid-2030s” timeframe for a moa hatch. Parallel work continues on dodo genome editing and on integrating the technology into broader endangered-species conservation programs.
