The roundworms from two areas of Siberia came back to life in Petri dishes, says a new scientific study.
‘We have obtained the first data demonstrating the capability of multicellular organisms for longterm cryobiosis in permafrost deposits of the Arctic,’ states a report from Russian scientists from four institutions in collaboration with Princetown University.
Some 300 prehistoric worms were analysed - and two ‘were shown to contain viable nematodes’.
‘After being defrosted, the nematodes showed signs of life,’ said a report today from Yakutia, the area where the worms were found.
Another was found in permafrost near Alazeya River in 2015, and is around 41,700 years old.
Duvanny Yar and Alazeya river marked on the map, Alazeya River, specialists of the Institite of Psycico-Chemical and Biological Problems and Soil Science in Moscow region.
The worms came back to life in a laboratory at The Institute of Physico-Chemical and Biological Problems of Soil Science in Moscow region. »