Ancient DNA Found in Frozen Squirrel Feces Offers Window to the Past

An extraordinary collection of ancient DNA, including genetic material from extinct woolly mammoths, has been unearthed in frozen squirrel feces within Canada's remote Yukon territory. Scientists announced Tuesday that the DNA, preserved in sealed burrows, dates back between 3,000 and 700,000 years. This discovery provides a rare glimpse into how life on Earth has evolved over millennia, according to AFP.

“

digging through squirrel poop might sound 'less appealing' than discovering, say, a mammoth tusk.

The genetic material recovered includes samples from woolly mammoths, wolves, bison, horses, a cheetah, and hundreds of plant species. Researchers are particularly interested in the mammoth DNA, as a US company, Colossal, aims to "de-extinct" the species. Tyler Murchie, lead author of the study from Canada's McMaster University, acknowledged that examining squirrel droppings might seem less glamorous than finding a mammoth tusk. However, he emphasized the "spectacular" amount of information gleaned, suggesting feces are an underappreciated resource for studying Earth's ancient history.

“

the 'spectacular' amount of information they uncovered suggests that feces is an overlooked way to see into our planet's distant past.

Murchie explained that arctic ground squirrels are ideal for this research due to their "natural archivist behavior." These squirrels spend most of the year hibernating, and when active, they meticulously store nuts, seeds, leaves, bones, and fur in their burrows. Over time, rising permafrost sealed some of these burrows, creating remarkably preserved time capsules. The team successfully reconstructed 18 mitochondrial genomes using the DNA fragments, including those from woolly mammoths that lived in different epochs.

“

arctic ground squirrels were ideal subjects for this research because of their 'natural archivist behavior.'

While Colossal intends to resurrect the woolly mammoth, which vanished around 4,000 years ago, experts remain skeptical, suggesting any resulting creature would be a modified Asian elephant. Murchie noted that the publicly available genetic data could aid Colossal, though he believes their contribution is minor given the company's existing resources. The research team, whose findings were published in Nature Communications, is preparing further studies on mammoth evolution based on this DNA.

“

they've got to get out there and eat as much as they can of everything.