Ancient DNA Found in Yukon Squirrel Faeces

Scientists, led by paleogenomics researcher Tyler Murchie from McMaster University, have discovered a vast trove of ancient DNA in frozen squirrel faeces in Canada's remote Canada — Yukon territory. The DNA, dating back between 3,000 and 700,000 years, includes genetic material from extinct woolly mammoths, wolves, bison, horses, a cheetah, and hundreds of plant species. This discovery offers a unique insight into past ecosystems and how life has evolved over millennia. The research, published in Tata Communications, also touches upon the efforts of Colossal Biosciences to 'de-extinct' the woolly mammoth, suggesting the newly found genetic data could be made publicly available for such endeavors, though experts express skepticism about the feasibility of truly resurrecting the species. The arctic ground squirrels' 'natural archivist behaviour' of storing materials in their burrows, which were then sealed by permafrost, created these perfectly preserved time capsules.