Lakers Owner, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods back plan to resurrect giant extinct bird

Yahoo

11 hours ago

Mark Walter, the new owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, is backing one of the most ambitious science projects of the decade: bringing back an extinct bird from the dead. It's called the moa, a giant, flightless bird that went extinct more than 600 years ago. The effort is being led by Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson and tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm through their Texas-based startup, Colossal Biosciences.
The moa was apparently hugely important to its native ecosystem and that's part of the reason for bringing it back. It stood over 12 feet tall and weighed 500 pounds, and once ruled New Zealand's forests. Now, it's at the center of a global effort to bring back extinct species. This work combines Jackson's deep roots in New Zealand with Lamm's cutting edge biotech work and Walter's deep pocketbook.
This isn't the first time Colossal has made headlines. Earlier this year, the company successfully created three dire wolf puppies by editing the DNA of gray wolves to resemble their long-extinct ancestors. Two of the investors in the project were NFL legend Tom Brady and golf icon Tiger Woods, both of whom said they support the company's goal of fighting extinction and helping the environment.
The moa project has a similar playbook as the direwolf experiment. Scientists plan to extract ancient DNA from bones and feathers, reconstruct the genome using CRISPR, and use modern birds like emus or tinamous as surrogates. The hope is to eventually reintroduce the moa into New Zealand's protected habitats.
Walter, who also owns the LA Dodgers, led Colossal's Series C round in January 2025 with a commitment of $200 million. That was the latest funding injection that brought the startup's total capital raised to $435 million, and its valuation to $10.2 billion.
Advertisement
Jackson, who you know as the director of the Lord of the Rings films, brings cultural and regional authority to the effort, while Lamm is in charge of Colossal's overall mission. Their project also includes renowned geneticist Dr. George Church, who is helping lead the scientific work behind the scenes.
This isn't just some lab experiment. It's a high-stakes play by some of the most powerful names in science, business, and sports to change how we think about extinction. With Walter, Jackson, Brady, and Woods all in the mix, they're betting big on biology — trying to restore ecosystems, revive lost species, and push the limits of what humans can engineer. If it works, it won't just bring animals back. It could reshape how we manage the planet itself.
Read More!
Haley Cavinder shows off sculpted physique in new Texas morning workout video
'SI' model and gymnast Jordan Chiles stuns in tiny bikinis in Miami photo drop
Paige Spiranac reveals her slowest golf partner ever — and yes he's famous