Scientists have discovered the oldest known DNA and used it to reveal what life was like 2 million years ago in the northern tip of Greenland.
NEW YORKScientists discovered the oldest known DNA and used it to reveal what life was like 2 million years ago in the northern tip of Greenland. Today, it’s a barren Arctic desert, but back then it was a lush landscape of trees and vegetation with an array of animals, even the now extinct mastodon.
Studying really old DNA can be a challenge because the genetic material breaks down over time, leaving scientists with only tiny fragments. The cold environment would help preserve the delicate bits of DNA — until scientists came along and drilled the samples out, beginning in 2006.During the region's warm period, when average temperatures were 20 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit higher than today, the area was filled with an unusual array of plant and animal life, the researchers reported.
"I wouldn’t have, in a million years, expected to find mastodons in northern Greenland," said Love Dalen, a researcher in evolutionary genomics at Stockholm University who was not involved in the study. Based on the data available, it’s hard to say for sure whether these species truly lived side by side, or if the DNA was mixed together from different parts of the landscape, said Laura Epp, an eDNA expert at Germany’s University of Konstanz who was not involved in the study.But Epp said this kind of DNA research is valuable to show "hidden diversity" in ancient landscapes.
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