Scientists Turned A 32,000-Year-Old Seed Found In Ancient Squirrels Burrows Into A Plant

Earthly Mission


Our planet is so amazing, that boundless mysteries are uncovered every year. As an example, in 2012, six Russian scientists unintentionally discovered a puzzling mystery that certainly piqued their curiosity and interest. S. Yashina, A. Yashina, D. Gilichinsky, S. Gubin, E. Gakhova, and S. Maksimovich stumbled across some 32,000 year old seeds and managed to grow a plant from them. The seeds were discovered covered in ice, buried about 125 feet under the Siberian permafrost. They were actually investigating the burrows of ancient squirrels when the amazing find presented itself. The plant that they were able to grow from the seeds was a flower that looks so similar to its modern doppelganger, Silene stenophylla, which still grows in Siberia.

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To this day, scientists are puzzled how the seeds managed to survive that long. Scientists in Austria started to try to solve the mystery by investigating the DNA of these ancient plants. Currently, this is happening at Vienna’s University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. They are trying to find out whether there are changes in plant genes that can adapt to very dry, cold, or hot conditions. It is believed that such findings may prove to be essential when dealing with climate change, and discovering new ways to help other plants survive. Also, since the Russian permafrost is now thawing, researchers will be able to further investigate the environment, to hopefully discover other factors that helped the seeds stay viable. Professor Margit Laimer, plant biotechnologist at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, said “I think mankind needs to be thankful for every piece of knowledge that we are able to create to protect our croplands.” Well, in this case, ancient squirrels are to be thanked for doing what they do, storing seeds and nuts.

 

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