An international team of archaeogeneticists has discovered DNA that has lain in the open for over 200,000 years, according to researchers from the University of Copenhagen. This finding contradicts previous assumptions that genetic material outside of stable environments (ice, caves, or amber) degrades within a few millennia.
The DNA fragments were found in the Olduvai Gorge region of Africa, where early Homo species lived. Scientists confirmed the authenticity of the molecules using ultra-sensitive sequencing methods, separating the genuine ancient samples from modern contaminants. The research was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Preservation of the DNA was likely ensured by unique minerals in the soil—clay particles and iron oxides created microscopic “time capsules” that protected the molecules from degradation.
This discovery opens new possibilities for paleogenetics: it shows that traces of ancient life can be preserved even on the open surface. In the future, this may help reconstruct past ecosystems—from savanna plants to the first mammals that lived alongside human ancestors.
