Jurassic Park Science: DNA of Extinct Bird Extracted From Eggshells
Ancient DNA has been extracted from the fossilised eggshells of birds for the first time, and will eventually yield clues about their physiology, diet and how they went extinctScientists have collected DNA from the fossilised eggshells of birds that died hundreds and in some cases thousands of years ago.The oldest eggshell to yield DNA came from an Australian emu that died around 19,000 years ago. It is the first time that scientists have succeeded in extracting ancient DNA from the fossilised eggshells of a bird.Genetic material from the Madagascan elephant bird, the heaviest bird that ever lived, was also recovered, along with DNA from Australian owls, New Zealand ducks and flightless moas.Elephant birds were native to Madagascar but had gone extinct by the 17th century. The ostrich-like creatures grew to around 3 metres tall and weighed up to half a tonne. Their eggs were bigger than footballs.Eggshells from two other extinct species, the little bush moa and the heavy footed moa, both from New Zealand's no
Jurassic Park Science: DNA of Extinct Bird Extracted From Eggshells
An international team of researchers has discovered how to extract DNA ...
Wed 10 Mar 10 from Discover Magazine
Fossilised egg gives clue to fate of ancient birds
Scientists are hopeful of finding out more about ancient birds and why they died out after extracting DNA from a fossilised elephant bird egg.
Wed 10 Mar 10 from The Independent
Ancient eggshell yields its DNA
The eggshells of long-dead and extinct species are a particularly good source to find preserved DNA, researchers say.
Tue 9 Mar 10 from BBC News
Moa eggshells yeild ancient DNA
DNA has been extracted for the first time from the fossilised eggshells of birds such as emu and moa, providing a purer source of ancient DNA than bone, say scientists.
Tue 9 Mar 10 from ABC Science
Scientists tease DNA from eggshell of extinct birds
In a world first, scientists in Australia announced on Wednesday they had extracted DNA from the fossilised eggshells of extinct birds, including iconic giants such as the moa and elephant bird.
Tue 9 Mar 10 from PhysOrg
Scientists get closer to real-life Jurassic Park after extracting DNA from fossilised eggshells
Genetic material was pinpointed for the giant moa and 10ft tall, half tonne elephant birds that died out hundreds of years ago.
Wed 10 Mar 10 from Daily Mail
Scientists get closer to real-life Jurassic Park after extracting DNA from fossilised eggshells, Tue 9 Mar 10 from Daily Mail
Eggshell DNA could help reconstruct lives of extinct birds
Ancient DNA has been extracted from the fossilised eggshells of birds for the first time, and will eventually yield clues about their physiology, diet and how they went extinctScientists have ...
Wed 10 Mar 10 from Guardian.co.uk
Extinct elephant bird of Madagascar could live again
Towering 10 feet into the air and weighing more than half a ton, it was the biggest bird that ever lived until French colonists wiped it out more than three hundred years ago.
Wed 10 Mar 10 from Telegraph.co.uk Science
Jurassic Park Closer to Reality
In a world first an international team of researchers, led by Michael Bunce of Murdoch Univ., have successfully isolated ancient DNA from fossil eggshell remains of extinct birds.??
Thu 11 Mar 10 from Laboratory Equipment
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