In Canada's Yukon,a surprising find has emerged from frozen squirrel droppings. Scientists announced Tuesday that ancient DNA, preserved in permafrost,ranges from 3,000 to 700,000 years old. Offering rare peek into life’s evolution on Earth.
Analysis showed DNA from many species,including the extinct woolly mammoth. US company Colossal aims to resurrect it through de-extinction. Besides mammoth DNA,researchers found genetic traces of wolves,bison,horses,a cheetah and hundreds of plants.
Tyler Murchie, paleogenomics researcher at McMaster University and lead author,admitted that studying squirrel droppings isn't as thrilling as mammoth tusks. But he stressed “spectacular” insights from this work, showing overlooked sources can expose vast biodiversity from Earth’s past.
Initially,team aimed to explore squirrels' microbiome but were stunned by unexpected organisms uncovered. Murchie said this challenges usual methods of studying ancient ecosystems. Raises questions about what else faecal samples might reveal...
