Scientists have analyzed what they say is the oldest DNA recovered to date, allowing them to reconstruct what life was like two million years ago in northern Greenland.
The findings suggest a rich ecosystem that sustained a mix of animals and plants that doesn’t coexist anywhere on Earth today.
The researchers analyzed fragments of ancient DNA preserved in the area’s sediments.
The region hosted mastodons, reindeer, lemmings and geese, as well as birch, poplar and thuja trees.
Horseshoe crabs, green algae and other marine life occupied nearby waters.