Chicks hatched from artificial eggshells, a new mission to study Earth's magnetosphere and more science stories

Colossal Biosciences. A buzzy de-extinction company is making headlines again, the Smile spacecraft launched on its way to observe Earth's magnetic shield in action, and a new study cast doubt on the existence of water vapor plumes on Europa. Plus, Space X's Starship V3 lifted off for the first time. Here are this week's most interesting science stories.

Colossal Biosciences, the "de-extinction" biotech company best known for its claims of reviving the dire wolf, announced this week that it has hatched 26 healthy chicks from 3D-printed artificial eggshells. According to the company, it's a step toward its goal of bringing back the South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus), an enormous bird that's been extinct for some 600 years, and the dodo.

Colossal's artificial eggshell is made up of a semi-permeable silicone-based membrane lattice that allows oxygen to pass through while still protecting the inner contents, and a rigid support cup that holds it all together. The embryo is taken from an egg laid in the usual way, by a hen.