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Unlocking Ice Age Secrets: ZooMS Reveals Megafauna Mysteries

5/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

At the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, researchers are unlocking the mysteries of Ice Age megafauna extinction using Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS). By analyzing collagen in ancient bones, they uncover species identities from weathered fragments, shedding light on their decline and early human interactions, while highlighting the critical need to preserve museum collections for future discoveries.

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Story summary

At the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, researchers are unlocking the mysteries of Ice Age megafauna extinction using Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS). By analyzing collagen in ancient bones, they uncover species identities from weathered fragments, shedding light on their decline and early human interactions, while highlighting the critical need to preserve museum collections for future discoveries.