A 14,400-Year-Old Wolf Puppy's Last Meal Reveals Woolly Rhino Genome Secrets
For the first time, scientists have sequenced a full genome of a woolly rhinoceros found inside the stomach of a 14,400-year-old mummified wolf puppy.
A single meal has become a scientific milestone 14,400 years after it was consumed. Researchers examining the frozen, mummified remains of an Ice Age wolf puppy found a partially digested secret in its stomach that sheds new light on the woolly rhinoceros.
The 14,400-Year-Old Wolf Puppy Woolly Rhino Genome Discovery
Scientists conducting an autopsy on the puppy, found near Tumat village in Siberia, discovered a prime cut of meat preserved for millennia. DNA testing revealed the meat belonged to a 2-metric-ton behemoth: a woolly rhinoceros. Sólveig Guðjónsdóttir from Stockholm University and her team recently achieved a breakthrough by sequencing a full genome from this stomach fragment.
A Landmark for Paleogenomics
This study marks the first time a full genome of an Ice Age animal has been recovered from the stomach of another species. Camilo Chacón-Duque, a paleogeneticist at Uppsala University, called it a "giant leap" for the field. The genetic data provides rare insights into the woolly rhino population in the centuries leading up to their extinction.
Authors
Related Articles
The Musk vs. Altman OpenAI trial opened with a jury selection crisis. Prospective jurors called Musk a 'world-class jerk' on official court forms. What does that tell us?
A gunman attacked a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Trump's first public reaction wasn't about security. It was about his $400M ballroom project.
Scientists warn a strong El Niño could push Earth past the 1.5°C warming threshold within 12-18 months. What that means for weather, food, energy—and the politics of climate action.
Hours after an armed suspect attempted to breach the White House Correspondents Dinner, Trump used the security scare to publicly defend his White House ballroom project. What does that tell us?
The Musk vs. Altman OpenAI trial opened with a jury selection crisis. Prospective jurors called Musk a 'world-class jerk' on official court forms. What does that tell us?
A gunman attacked a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Trump's first public reaction wasn't about security. It was about his $400M ballroom project.
Scientists warn a strong El Niño could push Earth past the 1.5°C warming threshold within 12-18 months. What that means for weather, food, energy—and the politics of climate action.
Hours after an armed suspect attempted to breach the White House Correspondents Dinner, Trump used the security scare to publicly defend his White House ballroom project. What does that tell us?
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation