Koalas Survived Extinction Before Humans | Science News

Koalas are survivors—every single one alive today traces back to a tiny group that weathered a near-extinction event 100,000 years ago, during brutal ice ages. New DNA research flips the script: their population crashes happened long before humans arrived, driven by climate and habitat loss. Now, facing fresh human-made threats like fires, disease, and land clearing, scientists are using this ancient genetic history to build smarter conservation strategies—including a first-ever koala mutation rate—to protect them before genetic diversity vanishes. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e4b1930b636fab02