Unlocking Secrets: How a 40, 000-Year-Old Mammoth's RNA Tells Its Story

A young mammoth named Yuka died 40, 000 years ago in Siberia. Its body was frozen in the permafrost, keeping it well-preserved. Scientists recently studied Yuka's leg tissue and found something amazing: RNA, the oldest ever sequenced. RNA is like a messenger in cells. It tells them what to do based on the instructions in DNA. By studying Yuka's RNA, scientists could see which genes were active when the mammoth died. This gives us a glimpse into the mammoth's last moments. The team studied 10 samples of frozen mammoth tissue. Only three had RNA fragments, and just one gave detailed data. This sample was from Yuka. The data showed that the mammoth's muscles were active when it died. This makes sense because muscles are usually active during the dying process. The scientists found two important proteins in the mammoth's muscle: titin and nebulin. Titin helps muscles stretch, and nebulin helps them contract. These proteins showed that the mammoth's muscles were working hard before it died. This discovery is exciting because it opens up new ways to study ancient life. Scientists can now look at how genes were working in ancient animals. This could help us understand how they lived and died. The techniques used in this study could also help bring back extinct animals. Scientists could edit the genes of living relatives to create hybrids that look like extinct species. This is what companies like Colossal Biosciences are trying to do. This isn't the first time scientists have found ancient RNA. In 2023, they sequenced RNA from a 130-year-old Tasmanian tiger. In 2019, they sequenced RNA from a 14, 300-year-old wolf. They've also found RNA in a 5, 300-year-old mummy called Ötzi the Iceman. While this discovery is exciting, it's not yet clear how much it will change the field. It's like being at a wedding and trying to predict how happy the marriage will be. Only time will tell.