Scientists have sequenced RNA from a woolly mammoth that lived 39,000 years ago, setting a new record for the oldest RNA ever recovered. The study, published in Cell, pushes the previous record (held by a 14,300-year-old Siberian puppy) back by an extraordinary 25,000 years, opening a new window into ancient genetics and how extinct species functioned.
Researchers explain that DNA alone cannot reveal details about tissues or gene activity, making RNA a crucial piece of the puzzle. The team analyzed samples from ten late-Pleistocene mammoths, and one specimen provided enough information to map ancient transcriptional profiles. Now, the findings show that RNA can survive far longer than scientists once expected.
The study also uncoveres a surprise about Yuka, the well-known mammoth mummy found in Siberia. Genetic markers show Yuka had a Y chromosome, meaning the specimen was male, contradicting earlier anatomical assessments that suggested otherwise. This correction, scientists say, highlights the limits of physical observations compared with molecular evidence.