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A mammoth discovered in Siberia is yielding unprecedented insights into the lives of thes extinct creatures. Named Yuka, this female mammoth is estimated to have lived around 28,000 years ago, and her remains are so well-preserved that scientists were even able to recover liquid blood.
The finding, made on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, is important because of Yuka’s age and the exceptional condition of her remains. While previous mammoth finds have yielded bone marrow containing remnants of blood cells, this is the first time liquid blood has been recovered.
“This is the most exciting find in mammoth research in decades,” says Dr.Albert Protopopov, a paleontologist at the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, Russia, who leads the research team. “The blood is a treasure trove of information.”
Scientists hope to analyze Yuka’s DNA to learn more about mammoth genetics, evolution, and their relationship to modern elephants. The well-preserved tissues could also provide clues about the causes of mammoth extinction, which occurred around 10,000 years ago.
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