Ben Lamm

Date: 2025-04-07 | Duration: 3h 3m

Episode Overview

Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, joins Joe for a deep dive into the science and ethics of de-extinction — with thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) sightings in central Tasmania, woolly mammoth progress, and the razor-thin 0.4% genetic difference that makes it all theoretically possible. Colossal has 170 people including over 135 scientists working around the clock in four labs. Ben explains the software-driven genomics approach, why they have to consider whether a genetically restored thylacine that can breed with wolves would still count as a true species, and what the American Humane Society oversight looks like when you're creating animals that haven't existed in decades. They also get into camera trap footage from Tasmania and what may or may not be out there. The scale of the operation and the seriousness of the science make this one of the most mind-bending episodes of the year.

About Ben Lamm

Ben Lamm is a visionary serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, a groundbreaking company at the forefront of genetic engineering and de-extinction initiatives. With a bold mission to resurrect iconic extinct species like the woolly mammoth, Colossal is pioneering innovative biotechnology to enhance conservation efforts and restore ecosystems. Lamm's unique blend of entrepreneurial spirit and scientific ambition has positioned him as a leading figure in the conversation around genetic innovation and environmental stewardship. His work not only captivates the imagination but also challenges the boundaries of what is possible in the realms of science and conservation. For more about his groundbreaking projects, visit www.colossal.com.

Key Moments

– Colossal Biosciences — the world's first de-extinction company
– Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) — camera traps in central Tasmania
– Woolly mammoth de-extinction progress — the 0.4% genetic difference
– Species definition: can you call it a thylacine if it breeds with wolves?
– American Humane Society oversight for de-extincted animals
– 170 people, 135 scientists, four labs — the scale of Colossal's operation
0:00:00 – Ben Lamm — CEO of Colossal Biosciences, world's first de-extinction company
0:00:22 – Colossal introduced — world's first de-extinction
0:20:49 – 0.4% genetic difference — that's all you're really looking at
0:46:09 – American Humane Society with six animal care team members — the oversight
1:10:20 – Species definition debate — can it breed with wolves and still be a thylacine?
1:37:24 – Camera traps in central Tasmania — coal, wombat, and then...
2:57:04 – 170 people, 135 scientists, four labs — people in love with the work

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 Joe Rogan podcast, check it out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Trained by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. What's up, Ben? Hey, thanks so much for having me. My pleasure. Very nice to meet you, man. So why don't you, instead of me, explain to people what you do? Starting point is 00:00:22 So I'm the CEO and co-founder of a company called Colossal Biosciences. We're the world's first de-extinction and species preservation company. Yeah, and that is a wild thing. I mean, this is essentially, literally wild. This is essentially real life Jurassic Park. Yeah, we get to Jurassic Park occasionally. Starting point is 00:00:44 Believe it or not, we get that. Of course. I mean, I gotta drop my hydrogen tablet in here. Oh, you do those, the Gary Breckle ones, right? I'm all in. Those are great. Yeah, so. Yeah, I love those. Starting point is 00:00:52 I just didn't want you to think it was, we're going a different direction now. How did you get started even thinking about doing something like this? So, I kind of fell into it. I didn't plan, I didn't wake up and say, I saw Jurassic Park, I'm super stoked, I love animals, I wanna go work on Park. I'm super stoked. I love animals. I want to go work on this. Starting point is 00:01:05 I'm just a weirdly curious person. So there's this guy named George Church. If you don't know George, you should look him up. He's the father of synthetic biologies at Harvard University. He's six foot seven with narcolepsy. He's just the best, right? So if you ever had him on, Starting point is 00:01:19 he may fall asleep during the podcast, but he's the absolute best. He's a genius. And I thought my background's in software and just building teams of people that are smarter than me, right? And so I was interested in synthetic biology, this idea that we could engineer life Starting point is 00:01:35 and that we could use AI and compute to make it even better. Like how do we do directed evolution and how that can app...

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Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2301?

Ben Lamm was the guest on JRE #2301. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2301?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2301 with Ben Lamm, topics include Colossal Biosciences — the world's first de-extinction, Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) — camera traps in central, Woolly mammoth de-extinction progress — the 0.4% genetic, and Species definition: can you call it a thylacine if it.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2301?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2301 with Ben Lamm is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.