The woolly mammoth was not so furry when it died out… growing a weird, semi transparent satin coat.
New research suggests the mammoth also had a poor sense of smell – and sex life – just before being wiped out after suffering a “genomic meltdown”.Experts say this can happen when a once thriving species reaches the brink of extinction, as small populations develop mutations caused by in breeding.
The last mammoth disappeared from the planet almost 4,000 years ago, but the groundbreaking findings have implications for animal conservation today.
They also shed fresh light on the theory of evolution, and serves as a warning for those interested in bringing the woolly mammoth back to life, known scientifically as “de-extinction.”
There are at least three teams trying to rebuild the whole mammoth genome – which could one day become a template to recreate actual mammoths.-READ MORE
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