Scientists extract world's oldest RNA from woolly mammoth in Siberia

Researchers have extracted the world's oldest RNA from a woolly mammoth, dating back nearly 40,000 years. This breakthrough allows scientists to study gene activity in extinct species. The RNA, recovered from Siberian permafrost, provides insights into the mammoth's biology and gene expression at the time of its death. It reveals active genes related to muscle function and stress responses. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about RNA's fragility and opens new avenues for understanding ancient life, including the potential to sequence ancient viruses.