Ancient mammoth teeth yield oldest microbial DNA ever found

Scientists found microbial DNA over one million years old in mammoth remains, the oldest host-associated microbial DNA ever recovered. The study sequenced nearly 500 mammoth specimens, identifying ancient bacterial lineages that coexisted with mammoths for hundreds of thousands of years. These findings offer insights into microbial evolution, their role in megafaunal health, and potential influences on adaptation and extinction in ancient ecosystems.