Tag Archives: mammoths

RNA from Ancient Mammoths Offers Glimpse into Their Life 39,000 Years Ago

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Researchers published a study in the journal Cell on Friday. Until recently, it was believed that RNA could not survive for extended periods.

“Textbooks indicate that RNA is highly unstable and generally degrades within minutes of exiting a living cell,” remarked Marc Friedlaender, a computational biologist at Stockholm University and one of the study authors. “It’s truly remarkable that we discovered RNA dating back 40,000 years. No one thought this was feasible.”

This research may open up new avenues into historical understanding. Erez Eiden, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who was not involved in the study, noted that scientists will continue to refine the techniques used to analyze ancient RNA, similar to how they have done for years with ancient DNA.

Incorporating RNA analysis into the study of ancient genetics could fundamentally alter our perception of the biological history of the Earth, Eiden stated.

“We will be able to construct a more comprehensive and quantitative narrative of life’s history on our planet,” he added. “Suddenly, the Rosetta Stone appeared.…This is like an ancient hieroglyph of life.”

The discovery of RNA was facilitated by the find of Yuka in 2010, when members of the Yukagir community unearthed a mammoth in melting permafrost near the Arctic Ocean. Yuka was found resting on a cliff, partially mummified, and encased in a mat of strawberry blonde hair and flesh that remained pink until her discovery.

Paleontologists believe Yuka was pursued to death. Some evidence points to the creature being chased by a cave lion or possibly killed by modern humans. There are indications supporting both theories, with each species potentially playing a role in the extinction of this ancient animal.

In a world populated by cave lions, this creature experienced significant stress prior to its death.

Indeed, recent RNA analyses indicate that the profiled RNA displayed signs of physiological stress. The researchers utilized samples taken from the animal’s slow-twitch muscle fibers.

“We discovered that stress genes were activated,” Friedlander stated.

Laboratory work in an ultra-clean environment at the Paleogenetics Center in Stockholm where ancient RNA was extracted.
Provided by: Jens Olof Razin

Mammoths are not the only ancient species to have had their RNA analyzed. In 2019, researchers examined the RNA of 14,300-year-old wolf or dog pups.

RNA is synthesized from its DNA template through a process known as transcription. During transcription, certain genes are activated while others remain dormant.

This process is dynamic, and the genes expressed can fluctuate from day to night, according to Marmol Sanchez.

The researchers also identified a novel form of microRNA (a type of RNA governing gene expression) in mammoths that is unknown in modern elephants.

The RNA technology being developed may assist efforts to revive the woolly mammoth, as noted by Eiden, who is a member of the scientific advisory board for Colossal Biosciences, the company aiming to “resurrect” the woolly mammoth.

Professor Friedlander remarked that further research could also shed light on how some ancient viruses, which lack DNA, evolved over time.

“To understand the history of RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2, we must detect these RNA molecules in historical and ancient samples to comprehend their evolution,” Friedlander explained.

Viruses such as Ebola, HIV, and influenza possess RNA genomes.

More research is required. In this study, the scientists investigated 10 mammoths but only obtained reliable RNA signals from three, including Yuka, the best-preserved specimen.

Since 2010, Yuka has been thought to be a female mammoth, but RNA and DNA analyses have revealed that she is, in fact, male.

Eiden highlighted that the RNA study underscores how little is understood about death and the varying rates of molecular breakdown after an organism’s demise.

“Our theories about what occurs to the physical matter of an organism post-mortem are still inadequate,” Eiden said. “What information is retained, and how legible can it remain over time? These are some intriguing questions.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Latest Genomic Research Provides Deeper Insight into the Evolutionary Past of Mammoths

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Scientists extracted and analyzed 34 new mammoths (Mamutus spp. ) mitochondrial genomes containing two early Pleistocene and nine mid Pleistocene giant specimens in Siberia and North America. They identified the oldest known mammoth DNA in North America from 200,000-year-old specimens found on the Old Crow River in the Yukon Territory of Canada. The results support previous research and show that mammoths from around 1 million years ago do not resemble the later mammoths.

Reconstruction of the life of the grassland mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii). Image credit: Beth Zaiken/Center for Palaeogenetics.

Ancient DNA was recovered from specimens dated in the early Pleistocene (2.6 million to 780,000 years ago), and the stages in the Middle Pleistocene (780,000 to 126,000 years ago) could allow for the direct study of deep temporal evolutionary events that are key to understanding species formation.

Unfortunately, access to such deep-time DNA is limited, and so far only a handful of studies have been able to obtain either genome-wide data or the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) from deep specimens.

“Our analysis offers an unprecedented glimpse into how major deep-time demographic events have shaped mammoth genetic diversity over time.”

By analyzing 34 new mammothmite genomes along with more than 200 previously published mammothmite genomes, the researchers found that diversification events across the mammoth lineage appeared to be consistent with well-explained demographic changes during the early and mid-Pleistocene.

Their findings support the ancient Siberian origins of the major mammoth lineage and reveal how changes in individual dynamics contributed to the expansion and contraction of different genetic clades.

“The constant cost of sequencing technology has left mitogenomes somewhat forgotten. However, our study shows that they are more abundant than nuclear DNA and are therefore important for evolutionary biology.

The current research not only advances understanding of mammoth evolution, but also contributes to a wider field of ancient DNA research.

Scientists have developed and applied an improved molecular clock dating framework and improved methods of estimating sample age beyond radiocarbon dating limits using genetic data.

This methodological advancement provides a powerful tool for future research into extinct and endangered species.

Professor Love Darren, a researcher at Stockholm University, said:

“We are extremely excited to see genetic data from more mammoth specimens sampled over the past million years.

Team’s result Published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.

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J. Camilo Chacón-Duque et al. 2025. The evolution of the mammoth genome for a million years. Molecular Biology and Evolution 42(4): MSAF065; doi: 10.1093/molbev/msaf065

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists resurrect woolly mammoths with genetic technology and call them “mice”

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The first researchers in science created mice that exhibit properties similar to extinct woolly mammoths.

Colossal Biosciences, an American Biotechnology Company, utilized CRISPR genome editing technology to develop the “Colossal Woolly Mouse.”

These mice are not miniature mammoths but have DNA designed to express mammoth-like properties, making them well-suited for cold environments.

An unpublished study published on Biorxiv explains how researchers modified seven mouse genes to give them a woolly coat.

This marks the first instance of a “living model” of animals with mammoth-like attributes.

Two “woolly mice” created by scientists

“Observing these mice is akin to peering into the past through a specialized lens,” said Dr. Louise Johnson, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading not involved in the study. “This technology provides an exciting avenue to test our theories about extinct organisms.”

She added, “Researchers successfully adjusted the mouse genome towards the mammoth genome for the first time.”

Through extensive computer analysis, researchers studied mammoth and African elephant genomes from 1.2 million years ago, modifying mouse genes related to hair growth and cold tolerance to create the final edited seven-gene combination. However, these mice do not possess an exact replica of mammoth genes, leading researchers to doubt the genes responsible for mammoth properties.

The Significance of this Discovery

According to Colossal Biosciences, this development is a groundbreaking step in addressing extinction. The company aims to reintroduce other extinct species with the goal of rebuilding ecosystems to maintain Earth’s balance. Founder Ben Lam envisions reviving species like dodos, giant ice age bears, and extinct Tasmanian marsupials known as thylacines.

Not all scientists are convinced of the immediate impact of this discovery.

While genetic manipulation has been used to create various models, including humans and extinct species, some remain skeptical. Professor Dusko Ilic, a stem cell science professor at King’s College London, acknowledges the milestone but warns of potential risks and ethical implications of such experiments.

While comparing mammoth and elephant genomes offers insights into adaptation and genetic traits, transforming mice into mammoth-like creatures may not directly translate to creating woolly elephants adapted for Arctic environments.

Many scientists doubt the feasibility of replicating mammoths through genetic manipulation alone without a complete understanding of their genetic makeup.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New study reveals that Clovis people primarily consumed mammoths and other large mammals in their diet

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Paleoanthropologists believe that the Columbian mammoth (mammoth colombi) are the largest contributor to the diet of the Clovis people, the earliest widespread hunter-gatherer group inhabiting North America, followed by elk and bison/camels, but the contribution of small mammals is There were very few.

An artist's reconstruction of Clovis life 13,000 years ago shows the Anzick 1 infant eating mammoth meat with his mother near the hearth. Another individual crafting tool, such as a dart launch point or an atlatl. A huge slaughterhouse can be seen nearby. Image credit: Eric Carlson / Ben Potter / Jim Chatters.

The Clovis people lived in North America about 13,000 years ago.

During that time, giant animals such as mammoths lived in both northern Asia and the Americas.

Because they traveled long distances, they became a reliable source of fat and protein for highly mobile humans.

Some researchers argue that the Clovisians were some degree of megafauna experts, with a particular focus on mammoths, while others argue that such adaptations were not viable and therefore They argue that Clovisians were extensive foragers, likely incorporating small amounts of food into their diets on a regular basis. Prey, plants, and perhaps fish.

“Focusing on mammoths helps explain how the Clovis people spread from across North America to South America in just a few hundred years,” said Dr. James Chatters, a researcher at McMaster University. said.

“What's surprising to me is that this corroborates a lot of the data from other sites,” said Ben Potter, a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

“For example, the animal parts left at the Clovis site are dominated by megafauna, and the firing points are large ones attached to darts, which were effective long-range weapons.”

In the new study, Dr Chatters, Professor Potter and their colleagues used stable isotope analysis to investigate the effects of 18-month-old children found at the 13,000-year-old Clovis site in Anzick, Montana, USA. I modeled the meal. state.

Their findings support the hypothesis that the Clovis people specialized in hunting large animals, rather than primarily foraging on small animals and plants.

Professor Potter said: “Mammoth hunting provided a flexible way of life.”

“This allowed the Clovis people to move to new areas without relying on smaller, localized prey that could vary widely from region to region.”

“This mobility is consistent with what we are seeing with Clovis technology and payment patterns.”

“They were very mobile. They transported resources such as toolstone over hundreds of miles.”

“Isotopes provide a chemical fingerprint of a consumer's diet, and can be compared to the isotopes of potential dietary items to determine the proportional contributions of different dietary items,” said Dr. Matt Wooler of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. It can be estimated.”

The researchers compared the mothers' stable isotope fingerprints with those obtained from different food sources from the same time and region.

They found that about 40% of her diet came from mammoths, with other large animals such as elk and bison making up the rest.

Although small mammals were sometimes considered an important food source, they played a very minor role in her diet.

Finally, the scientists compared the mother's diet to that of other omnivores and carnivores from the same period, including American lions, bears, and wolves.

The mother's diet was most similar to that of the scimitar cat, a mammoth specialist.

The discovery also suggests that early humans may have contributed to the extinction of Ice Age megafauna, especially as environmental changes reduced their habitat.

“If the climate is changing in a way that reduces suitable habitat for some of these megafauna, they potentially become more susceptible to human predation. These people are highly capable. He was a great hunter,” Professor Potter said.

“It was a combination of a very sophisticated hunting culture that responded to a simple, large animal group under environmental stress, and techniques honed over 10,000 years in Eurasia,” Dr Chatters said.

of the team result Published in today's diary scientific progress.

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James C. Chatters others. 2024. Mammoths featured heavily in the diet of western Clovis. scientific progress 10(49);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr3814

Source: www.sci.news

Bad luck, not inbreeding, led to the demise of the last mammoths on Earth

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Artist’s impression of the last mammoth

Beth Zaiken

About 10,000 years ago, a handful of woolly mammoths washed up on an island off the Siberian coast in the Russian Arctic. Over the next few thousand years, this small group of perhaps eight animals grew into a stable population of 200-300 animals before going extinct about 4,000 years ago. These mammoths are the last known population of woolly mammals on Earth, and may have survived into modern times but for some bad luck.

The history of these mammoths has been clarified through genetic research. Love Darren A team from Stockholm University in Sweden and their colleagues looked at DNA from 14 mammoths from Wrangel Island and seven from the mainland, dating back to before melting ice sheets caused sea levels to rise and isolate them, covering a combined genetic history of 50,000 years.

The researchers’ analysis found that despite the small population, inbreeding wasn’t the cause of the mammoth’s extinction: While small genetic mutations accumulated, Dallen said, the population was good at eliminating larger, harmful ones.

“We can demonstrate that it’s unlikely that inbreeding or genetic disease caused the population to slowly decline and go extinct,” he said. “Despite the inbreeding, the population did well.”

Mammoth tusk found on Wrangel Island

Love Darren

But the team found that individual mammoths were affected by genetic diseases, and that this negative impact at the individual level had been ongoing for thousands of years. “This means that today’s endangered species, which in most cases were at risk of extinction until very recently, are likely to continue to suffer from genetic diseases for hundreds of generations to come,” says Dallen.

Dallen points to the Tasmanian devil as an example of a species that became isolated on a large island after mainland populations became extinct, leading to reduced genetic diversity. This in turn affects the immune system, Dallen says, which puts the species at greater risk of population decline when faced with new pathogens, such as the facial tumour disease that attacks Tasmanian devils.

“Natural selection appears to have been effective in eliminating potentially lethal mutations, but other, less severe mutations gradually increased,” they said. Adrian Lister At the Natural History Museum, London.

“We’re not sure whether this led to eventual extinction, but it’s possible that, combined with environmental changes, it did,” Lister said. “There are lessons here for monitoring the genetic health of endangered species today.”

The exact cause of the mammoths’ extinction is unknown, but interestingly, Wrangel Island contained freshwater lakes and rivers, which suggests that the mammoths may have been able to survive longer than similarly isolated groups that became extinct 5,600 years ago due to drought.

“Diseases, short-term weather events, tundra fires — all of these are thought to be random events,” Dallen says. “Because they’re random, they’re not inevitable. So if they hadn’t happened, the mammoths might have survived to this day, assuming humans hadn’t killed them when they arrived on Wrangel Island.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Could Woolly Mammoths Actually Make a Comeback?

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Unlike the extinct woolly mammoth, most edited elephants with mammoth-like features lack tusks to avoid poaching for ivory.

QuangTrungArt/Shutterstock

A company founded to bring back extinct animals has announced that it has made significant progress in its goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth. On March 6, Colossal announced that its team had succeeded in converting normal elephant cells into stem cells, which could lead to the creation of mammoth-like creatures. “This is an important step,” said the company's CEO. ben ramsaid in a press release. Here's what you need to know:

Is it really possible to bring the woolly mammoth back from extinction?

No, it's not, and it never will be. The genomes of several frozen mammoths have been sequenced, but there are many gaps. But it should be possible to edit the genome of a living elephant to make it look more like a mammoth. Colossal acknowledges on its website that the elephant it plans to create is a “cold-hardy elephant,” but says the animal “has all the key biological characteristics of a woolly mammoth.”

Will these edited elephants look like mammoths?

‘

Colossal says even the sounds of mammoths are similar, but it's unclear how humans know what a mammoth sounds like. There will be at least one major difference when it comes to their appearance.The majority do not have tusks to avoid ivory poaching, says Colossal co-founder George Church. Species with tusks can only be kept in highly supervised areas, he said.

Colossal also plans to make the mammoth-like elephants resistant to a deadly disease caused by the elephant endothelial-tropic herpesvirus.

Why does Colossal need to create elephant stem cells?

The company edits the genome of elephant cells to make them more similar to mammoths. But creating a living mammoth-like elephant requires producing embryos containing edited genomes. In theory, one way to do this would be to turn gene-edited elephant cells into so-called induced pluripotent stem cells, which then turn into egg and sperm cells.

What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

Pluripotent stem cells can transform into any cell in the body, including eggs and sperm. They occur naturally in embryos, but can also be made from adult cells by adding certain proteins, and are therefore “induced.” These have been produced in many animal species, but until now no one had succeeded in inducing pluripotency in elephant cells.

Why is it so difficult to induce elephant cells to become pluripotent?

At least in part, this is probably because these larger, longer-lived animals require better anti-cancer mechanisms, which means tighter control over stem cell proliferation.

How did Colossal manage it?

Specifically, they genetically engineered Asian elephant cells to permanently produce key proteins. Still, it took two months to turn the cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. “We want to make the process more efficient and faster, and I think this is a great start,” he says. Eona Hisori At Colossal. The DNA that encodes important proteins can be easily removed, she says.

So does Colossal turn these induced pluripotent stem cells into eggs and sperm?

That's the plan, but it could take years. Converting induced pluripotent stem cells into eggs and sperm is not easy. “This is primarily done in two species: mice and humans,” Church says. “And neither is perfect.”

Does that mean it could be decades before a mammoth-like elephant is produced?

Colossal claims the first “mammoth” will be born by 2028. Heisoli said the researchers aim to make just 50 to 100 gene edits in elephant cells, and that it is possible. But producing embryos in time will almost certainly require implanting the edited genome into an elephant egg using the same cloning technique used to create Dolly the sheep. An elephant's gestation period is her two years, so these embryos need to be created and implanted by her around the end of 2026.

Does cloning edited cells work?

Although it is possible, typically only a small percentage of cloned embryos develop into healthy animals. “There are always going to be attempts that fail. How many elephants should we experimentally impregnate?” asks a stem cell expert. Dusko Ilic At King&#39s College London. “Just because we have the ability to do something new doesn’t mean we should pursue it without careful consideration of the ethical implications and consequences.”

Where does this mammoth-like elephant live? Given Russia's claims about the war in Ukraine and the United States' biological weapons, isn't it highly unlikely that Russia would allow genetically reborn mammoths to be released into Siberia?

“Keep in mind that mammoths were everywhere in the Arctic, not just Siberia,” Hisori says. Alaska and Canada are also possibilities, she said, and Colossal already has “very fruitful collaborations” with government agencies, local governments and First Nations.

Why is Colossal aiming to revive the mammoth?

The company claims that rewilding the arctic regions where mammoths live will reduce permafrost thaw and reduce climate change by locking up carbon in the form of frozen organic matter. “The Arctic is a perfect place to sequester carbon because it freezes more layers of topsoil every year,” Church says. “And herbivores poop on it.”

Could mammoth-like creatures really help limit further warming in the Arctic?

That hasn’t been established yet, but there is some possibility. One small study suggests that large herbivores can lower permafrost temperatures By flattening and insulating the snow that accumulates in winter. Also, if edited elephants limit forest expansion, dark trees in previously flat, snow-covered areas could absorb more sunlight, which could have a warming effect. That would be helpful too. But it will take thousands of people to make a big impact.

Does that mean Colossal aims to have tens of thousands of these creatures roaming the North Pole?

Yes, that’s the purpose. Based on the increase in elephant population under favorable conditions, new scientist It is estimated that breeding so many mammoth-like elephants from a small initial population could take more than a century.

But Church says Colossal is developing an artificial womb that circumvents normal limitations. “So, in principle, we can do this at any scale the world wants and needs. If they don’t need it, we won’t scale up,” he says. .

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Could woolly mammoths possibly be making a comeback?

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Unlike the extinct woolly mammoth, most edited elephants with mammoth-like features lack tusks to avoid poaching for ivory.

QuangTrungArt/Shutterstock

A company founded to bring back extinct animals has announced that it has made significant progress in its goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth. On March 6, Colossal announced that its team had succeeded in converting normal elephant cells into stem cells, which could lead to the creation of mammoth-like creatures. “This is an important step,” said the company’s CEO. ben ram said in a press release. Here’s what you need to know:

Is it really possible to bring the woolly mammoth back from extinction?

No, it’s not, and it never will be. The genomes of several frozen mammoths have been sequenced, but there are many gaps. But it should be possible to edit the genome of a living elephant to make it look more like a mammoth. On its website, Colossal acknowledges that the elephant it plans to create will be a “cold-hardy elephant,” but says it will “possess all the key biological characteristics of a woolly mammoth.”

Will these edited elephants look like mammoths?

Colossal says even the sounds of mammoths are similar, but it’s unclear how humans know what a mammoth sounds like. There will be at least one major difference when it comes to their appearance. The majority do not have tusks to avoid ivory poaching, says Colossal co-founder George Church. Specimens with tusks can only be kept in strictly supervised areas.

Colossal also plans to make the mammoth-like elephants resistant to a disease called elephant endothelial-tropic herpesvirus.

Why does Colossal need to create elephant stem cells?

The company edits the genome of elephant cells to make them more similar to mammoths. But creating a living mammoth-like elephant requires producing embryos containing edited genomes. In theory, one way to do this would be to turn gene-edited elephant cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, and then turn those stem cells into eggs and sperm cells.

What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

Pluripotent stem cells can transform into any cell in the body, including eggs and sperm. They occur naturally in embryos, but can also be made from adult cells by adding certain proteins, and are therefore “induced.” These have been produced in many animal species, but until now no one had succeeded in inducing pluripotency in elephant cells.

Why is it so difficult to induce elephant cells to become pluripotent?

At least in part, perhaps, because they are large, long-lived animals, they require better anti-cancer mechanisms, which means tighter control over stem cell proliferation.

How did Colossal manage it?

Specifically, they genetically engineered Asian elephant cells to permanently produce key proteins. Still, it took two months to turn the cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. “We want to make the process more efficient and faster, and I think this is a great start,” he says. Eliana Hisori At Colossal. DNA added to cells is easily removed, she says.

So does Colossal turn these induced pluripotent stem cells into eggs and sperm?

That’s the plan, but it could take years. Converting induced pluripotent stem cells into eggs and sperm is not easy. “This is primarily done in two species: mice and humans,” Church says. “And neither is perfect.”

Does that mean it could be decades before a mammoth-like elephant is produced?

Colossal claims the first “mammoth” will be born by 2028. Heisoli said the researchers aim to make just 50 to 100 gene edits in elephant cells, and that that is possible. But producing embryos in time for this deadline will almost certainly require implanting the edited genome into an elephant egg using the same cloning technique used to create Dolly the sheep. An elephant’s gestation period is her two years, so these embryos need to be created and implanted by her around the end of 2026.

Does cloning edited cells work?

Although it is possible, typically only a few percent of cloned embryos develop into healthy animals. “There are always going to be attempts that fail. How many elephants should we experimentally impregnate?” asks a stem cell expert. Dusko Ilic At King’s College London. “Just because we have the ability to do something new doesn’t mean we should pursue it without careful consideration of the ethical implications and consequences.”

Where does this mammoth-like elephant live? Given Russia’s claims about war and US biological weapons, isn’t it highly unlikely that Russia would allow genetically reborn mammoths to be released into Siberia?

“Keep in mind that mammoths were everywhere in the Arctic, not just Siberia,” Hisori says. Alaska and Canada are also possibilities, she said, and Colossal already has “very fruitful collaborations” with government agencies, local governments and First Nations.

Why is Colossal aiming to revive the mammoth?

The company claims that rewilding the arctic regions where mammoths live will reduce permafrost thaw and reduce climate change by locking up carbon in the form of frozen organic matter. “The Arctic is a perfect place to sequester carbon because it freezes more layers of topsoil every year,” Church says. “And herbivores poop on it.”

Could mammoth-like creatures really help limit further warming in the Arctic?

That hasn’t been established yet, but there is some possibility.One small study suggests animals can lower permafrost temperatures By flattening and insulating the snow that accumulates in winter. And if these animals limit forest expansion, that could also help, as dark trees in previously flat, snow-covered areas can have a warming effect. But it will take thousands of people to make a big impact.

Does that mean Colossal aims to have tens of thousands of these creatures roaming the North Pole?

Yes, that’s the purpose. Based on the increase in elephant population under favorable conditions, new scientist It is estimated that breeding so many mammoth-like elephants from a small initial population could take more than a century.

But Church says Colossal is developing an artificial womb that circumvents normal limitations. “So, in principle, we can do this at any scale the world wants and needs. If they don’t need it, we won’t scale up,” he says. .

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient Alaskan Hunter-Gatherer Camps were Linked to the Lifelong Movements of Female Woolly Mammoths

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Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) The peoples of mainland Alaska overlapped with the first peoples of this region for at least 1,000 years. However, it is unclear how mammoths used the space they shared with humans. In a new study, scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and elsewhere analyzed a 14,000-year-old female mammoth tusk discovered at an archaeological site in Fairbanks. swan point They showed that she migrated nearly 1,000 km (621 miles) from northwestern Canada to inhabit the Shaw Creek watershed in interior Alaska, an area with the highest concentration of early remains in interior Alaska. Early Alaskans appear to have built their settlements based in part on the prevalence of mammoths, utilizing them for raw materials and perhaps food.

The piece shows three mammoths being observed by an ancient Alaskan family from a sand dune near the Swan Point ruins, a seasonal hunting camp inhabited 14,000 years ago. Image credit: Julius Csostonyi.

The woolly mammoth at the center of the study, named Elmayujaye by the Healy Lake Village Council, was discovered at Swan Point, Alaska's oldest archaeological site, which also contained the remains of a juvenile mammoth and a baby.

Mammoth fossils have also been found at three other sites within 10 km of Swan Point.

In the study, University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher Audrey Rowe and her colleagues conducted detailed isotopic analysis of complete tusks and genetic analysis of the remains of many other mammoth individuals, comparing the subject's movements and similar Pieced together relationships with other mammoths in location and environment. Neighborhood.

They determined that the Swan Point area was likely the gathering place for at least two closely related but distinct maternal herds.

“This is a fascinating story about the complexity of mammoth life and behavior, about which we have little insight,” said Dr. Hendrik Poynar, director of the McMaster Center for Ancient DNA at McMaster University.

The authors sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of eight woolly mammoths found at Swan Point and other nearby sites to see if and how they were related.

They also conducted isotopic analysis of a 14,000-year-old tusk from Elmayujaye (Elma) taken from Swan Point.

“Mammoth tusks grew like tree trunks, with thin layers showing steady growth, and isotopes of different elements such as oxygen and strontium providing information about the target's movements,” the researchers said. Ta.

“The female mammoth lived most of her life in a relatively small area of ​​the Yukon Territory and died when she was about 20 years old.”

“As she grew older, she traveled more than 1,000 kilometers in just three years, settling in interior Alaska and dying near related babies and boys, suggesting that she may have been the matrilineal leader. unknown.”

“Mammoths are estimated to behave much like modern elephants, with females and young living in close-knit matrilineal herds, and adult males traveling alone or in looser groups of males. They are often thought to have a wider range than females.

The researchers extracted and analyzed ancient DNA from Elmayujay's tusks and found that the mammoth was closely related to other mammoths at the same site, and more distantly related to other mammoths at a nearby site called Holzmann. found.

“Early humans had a deep understanding of mammoths and the art of hunting them, and used mammoth habitats for scavenging and hunting detritus as raw material for tools,” the researchers said.

“In addition to the direct effects of hunting on mammoth populations, human activities and settlements have also affected mammoth populations indirectly by restricting mammoth movement and access to preferred grazing areas. There is a possibility.”

“For early people in Alaska, these areas were important for observation and viewing, as well as potential food sources,” Dr. Poyner said.

The data collected suggests that people organized seasonal hunting camps based on where mammoths congregated, and that this may have had an indirect effect on the localized extinction of mammoths in Alaska, which was further exacerbated by a rapidly changing climate and changes in vegetation. This suggests that it may have played a role.

However, such deprivation does not seem to have affected the mammoths involved.

“She was a young adult in her prime,” said Professor Matthew Wooler, director of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility and a researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

“Her isotopes showed that she was not malnourished and that she died during the same season as the Swan Point seasonal hunting camp where her tusk was found.”

“This is more than just looking at stone tools and ruins and making assumptions. This analysis of lifetime migration is very helpful in understanding how humans and mammoths lived in these areas,” McMaster said. said Dr. Tyler Murchy, a postdoctoral fellow at the university.

a paper The findings were published in this week's magazine scientific progress.

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Audrey G. Lowe other. 2024. The female woolly mammoth's lifelong migration ends in an ancient Alaskan hunter-gatherer camp. scientific progress 10(3); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk0818

Source: www.sci.news