McMaster researchers trace arctic evolution in squirrel droppings

Scientists from Hamilton’s McMaster University studied ancient ground squirrel droppings that provided them with one of the oldest collections of DNA ever recovered.

Researchers extracted environmental DNA from the fossilized pellets, uncovering genetic traces of woolly mammoths, horses, steppe bison, wolves, big cats and over 200 plant groups.

The findings reveal unexpected genetic diversity among ancient arctic ground squirrels.

Scientists uncovered a 700,000-year-old lineage that is now extinct in the Yukon, with its closest living relatives found only in western Siberia. Previously, researchers assumed fossils from this era simply belonged to the modern species still living in the territory.

Scientists say the discovery could help explain how plants and animals responded to historical climate shifts, offering clues as to how species might adapt to warming conditions.

READ MORE: McMaster researchers discover promising new antibiotic