A 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth carcass was so well preserved, scientists were able to determine the 3D structure of the prehistoric creature's genetic code, a first-of-its-kind study shows.
The new breakthrough is a significant step on the path to sequencing a complete woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) genome, which has been challenging due to the degraded nature of ancient DNA. With a completely sequenced genome, scientists may finally be able to identify every single DNA mutation that differentiates modern elephants from their woolly mammoth relatives. A full overview of these genetic differences could in turn boost ongoing efforts to "de-extinct" the woolly mammoth.
