Ancient squirrel droppings reveal 700,000 years of lost ecosystems
Scientists have discovered that fossilized Arctic ground squirrel droppings contain well-preserved DNA dating back 700,000 years. These samples provide a detailed genetic record of ancient ecosystems and climate shifts in the Yukon.
Why it matters
This research offers unprecedented insights into prehistoric biodiversity and how ecosystems adapted to extreme climate changes over hundreds of thousands of years.
Artistic reconstruction. Fossilized squirrel droppings reveal ancient ecosystems, offering rare genetic insights into life during the Ice Age. (CREDIT: Mecerdes Minck, Hakai Institute)
The article reports on scientific findings based on peer-reviewed research without ideological framing.
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