08-12-2022, 02:29 PM
Fascinating stuff; apparently Greenland was once a very different place.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63867164
"Today the area in North Greenland is a polar desert, but the genetic material, extracted from soil, has uncovered a rich array of plants and animals.
The scientists found genetic traces of elephant-like mastodons, reindeer and geese that roamed among birch and poplar trees, and of marine life including horseshoe crabs and algae.
Among the discovery of DNA from creatures like rodents, reindeer and geese, the unearthing of mastodon DNA was a surprise - Prof Willerslev told the BBC no one had found the elephant-like creatures in Greenland before."
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63867164
"Today the area in North Greenland is a polar desert, but the genetic material, extracted from soil, has uncovered a rich array of plants and animals.
The scientists found genetic traces of elephant-like mastodons, reindeer and geese that roamed among birch and poplar trees, and of marine life including horseshoe crabs and algae.
The most ancient DNA ever sequenced reveals what the Arctic looked like two million years ago when it was warmer.
In Greenland, the team used ancient soil samples to look back in time at the biology of the Early Pleistocene Epoch.
They found a forest ecosystem, with Arctic shrubs, herbs, ferns and mosses growing among the trees.Among the discovery of DNA from creatures like rodents, reindeer and geese, the unearthing of mastodon DNA was a surprise - Prof Willerslev told the BBC no one had found the elephant-like creatures in Greenland before."
in order to be old & wise, you must first be young & stupid. (I'm still working on that.)