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An extraordinary trove of ancient DNA, preserved for up to 700,000 years, has been unearthed in frozen squirrel feces within Canada's remote Yukon territory. This remarkable discovery offers scientists a rare glimpse into the evolutionary history and environmental changes over millennia.

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spectacular

The genetic material, found deep within sealed burrows, includes DNA from extinct woolly mammoths, as well as wolves, bison, horses, a cheetah, and numerous plant species. This extensive collection provides a unique window into the biodiversity of the region across vast stretches of time. Researchers are particularly interested in the mammoth DNA, as companies like Colossal are pursuing de-extinction efforts.

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less appealing

Tyler Murchie, a lead author of the study from Canada's McMaster University, acknowledged that excavating squirrel droppings might seem unappealing. However, he described the amount of information uncovered as "spectacular," suggesting that feces represent an "overlooked" method for studying the planet's distant past. The team initially aimed to study the squirrel's microbiome but stumbled upon this "really surprising biodiversity of organisms."

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overlooked

The arctic ground squirrels proved to be ideal subjects due to their "natural archivist behavior." These animals spend most of the year hibernating, and when active, they intensely gather food and materials, packing their burrows with a wide variety of organic matter. Over time, rising permafrost sealed some burrows, creating exceptionally well-preserved time capsules. The scientists successfully reconstructed 18 mitochondrial genomes, including those of six woolly mammoths from different eras, by piecing together DNA fragments using computational methods.

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really surprising biodiversity of organisms