Mammoth remains in Siberia: researchers discover millions of old DNA traces

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Wrangel Island, Arctic Ocean / Russia

A scientific record is currently being unearthed, even if the researchers do not know it at the time: Researchers at Stockholm University have found the teeth of mammoths in the Siberian permafrost.

A sensation: Because this tooth contains the oldest traces of DNA in the world.

The researchers discovered a total of three finds - they estimate the oldest to be more than a million years old.

Love Dalén, Center for Paleogenetics Stockholm

»This DNA is incredibly old.

The specimens are a thousand times older than the remains of Vikings and go back to before humans and Neanderthals. "

The previous knowledge about steppe mammoths is reconsidered with these finds.

The palaeogenetic team examined molars of three animals and sequenced prehistoric DNA in them.

When comparing the genetic data with other mammoth and elephant DNA, they found that the genetic make-up of one of the teeth differs significantly from the genomes of other mammoths.

Love Dalén, Center for Paleogenetics Stockholm

»We were completely surprised.

All we knew about the evolution of mammoths so far was that there was only one species of mammoth in Siberia at the time. "

The genetic makeup of the youngest tooth, called Krestovka, indicates that it is a previously unknown genetic line - another Siberian lineage.

Love Dalén, Center for Paleogenetics Stockholm

“Examining ancient DNA is a bit like traveling back in time.

We can actually measure genetic changes and observe them in real time.

With this we travel back in time a million years.

We can watch evolution.

And that's very exciting. "

Since the permafrost soil in Siberia partially thaws, remains of animals that are now extinct are found again and again.

The researchers suspect that even older DNA traces are dormant here.