Ancient Bacteria Reveal clues to Mammoth Extinction, Offer Hope for “De-Extinction” Efforts
By Rachel Kim, World-Today-News.com – June 27, 2024
For years, scientists have puzzled over the extinction of the mammoth – a creature that roamed the Earth alongside early human civilizations. Now, a groundbreaking new study published today in Cell reveals a surprising piece of the puzzle: the ancient bacteria that lived within these colossal animals.
Researchers have successfully extracted and analyzed DNA from the microbiome of mammoths dating back as far as 1.1 million years,a feat pushing the boundaries of paleogenetic research. The analysis of 483 mammoth remains - primarily teeth, but also tusks and bones – uncovered genetic material from six groups of bacteria, some wiht the potential to cause serious infections.This isn’t just a past curiosity.Understanding the relationship between mammoths and their microbiome could be key to unlocking the mystery of their extinction.Were these ancient creatures felled by internal infections? or did their microbiome play a role in their adaptation to, and eventual inability to survive, a changing climate?
“This work opens a new chapter in our understanding of extinct species,” says lead researcher Love Dalén, a leading expert in mammoth genetics. “Now we can not only