Squirrels’ Poop Reveals Ice Age Secrets

Scientists uncovered 700,000-year-old squirrel poop in Yukon, revealing these “zombie squirrels” of the Ice Age feasted on mammoth, bison, and big cat carcasses after winter hibernation. DNA from the coprolites, unearthed by gold mining, may hold the oldest mammoth DNA ever sequenced—and offers a shocking glimpse into a brutal, opportunistic Pleistocene food chain. Beyond megafauna, the droppings also preserved DNA of rodents, bats, insects, and plants, turning ancient squirrel waste into a time capsule of a whole ecosystem. Researchers now urge others to explore ground squirrel droppings as a goldmine for ancient DNA, promising deeper insights into prehistoric life. Support the show:Get a discount at https://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/8058c76c1f9ca153