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Ancient RNA from Woolly Mammoth Yuka Reveals Stress and Survival

11/14/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The woolly mammoth Yuka, living nearly 40,000 years ago in Siberian permafrost, yielded the oldest RNA.
The RNA reveals gene activity at Yuka's death and suggests stress from a cave lion attack.
RNA analysis confirmed Yuka was male, correcting an initial belief that Yuka was female.
The study shows ancient RNA can persist longer than believed, enabling future paleogenetics research, and it was published in Cell.

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Story summary

The woolly mammoth Yuka, living nearly 40,000 years ago in Siberian permafrost, yielded the oldest RNA.
The RNA reveals gene activity at Yuka's death and suggests stress from a cave lion attack.
RNA analysis confirmed Yuka was male, correcting an initial belief that Yuka was female.
The study shows ancient RNA can persist longer than believed, enabling future paleogenetics research, and it was published in Cell.