George R.R. Martin, the legendary author behind Game of Thrones, recently experienced a moment that felt straight out of Westeros—meeting real-life dire wolves resurrected through cutting-edge science.
The emotional encounter took place in February, when Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences, invited Martin to meet three genetically engineered pups: Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi. The fantasy author was reportedly moved to tears upon meeting the animals, whose powerful build and striking appearance resemble the iconic creatures from his beloved HBO series.
Martin later called the experience “one of the greatest things” he’d ever witnessed and reflected on the historical significance of dire wolves in a blog post. Once thought to be mythical, dire wolves are now recognized by scientists as a real and important species that helped maintain balance in North America’s prehistoric ecosystem.
Using advanced gene-editing techniques, Colossal Biosciences brought the dire wolf back to life by working from DNA extracted from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old gray wolf skull. The result: a hybrid animal with the dire wolf’s muscular build, massive jaws, and distinctive teeth.
The wolves now reside in a top-secret nature preserve equipped with high-level security and certified by the American Humane Society. It is also registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ensuring the animals are protected and carefully monitored.
Colossal’s project is part of its ambitious mission to bring extinct species back through sustainable biotechnology. While the effort has sparked global curiosity—and some Jurassic Park-style caution—experts say the dire wolves are thriving in their controlled habitat.
For Martin, whose fictional dire wolves captured the imaginations of millions, the moment was deeply personal. “To see them alive,” he reportedly said, “was like seeing a dream made real.”
