World’s oldest DNA found in 2 million-year-old ecosystem

Scientists have discovered a number of 2 million years of DNA in Greenland, making it the oldest known genetic material in the world. Analysis of the evidence revealed ecosystem of the past with a rich diversity of species, facing extreme climatic changes, forced to adapt to a warmer and more humid period than a glacial climate.

The average temperature at that time was 10 °C above today’s temperatures. In fact, this is the scenario that some experts believe could happen in the future of our planet. global warming🇧🇷 Therefore, survey data can help predict the long-term effects of climate change.

The samples were classified as environmental DNA, that is, DNA of a few organisms that had accumulated in a specific location found in soil, water or sediments. In this case, 41 types of genetic codes have been identified that have been stored in clay and quartz for 20,000 years.

This set of DNA, Kap Kobenhavn geological formation, in northern Greenland. The area, about 100 meters thick, acts as a deposit of sediment preserved in ice or permafrost, a layer of frozen soil. Evidence includes materials from various animals, plants and microorganisms.

The landscape at that time consisted of vast areas of forest, rivers and lakes rather than being practically the arctic desert of today. In addition, the presence of marine species reinforced the thesis that the climate at that time was warmer than it is today.

Researchers also discovered an interesting fact about an Ice Age mammal, the mastodon. It was believed that the distant relative of the elephant lived only in North and Central America, but he managed to reach the Scandinavian country without becoming extinct.

The research was carried out at the University of Cambridge (England). The study was based on previous work by scientists from various countries on samples collected in the area since 2006, in addition to new evidence from the field.

The discovery has also been attributed to the advent of next-generation DNA extraction and sequencing equipment. The latest technology has been able to remove very small and damaged fragments from sediment samples.

In this context, in the eyes of the authors, in the face of the climate emergency that threatens biodiversity, genetic engineering may mimic the system plants used to adapt and survive 2 million years ago, thus creating an extinction scenario for some species. species.

The current study published in the journal is notable. NatureIt broke the oldest known DNA record at 1 million years – a title that until then belonged to the bone of a Siberian mammoth.