Mammoth coat colour revealed

[5614]

Information has been extracted from a 43,000 year old wolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) bone. The gene, Mc1r, controls the creature's hair colour.

 

The gene, which is responsible for hair colour in some modern mammals too, reveals that wolly mammoths were dark brown, pale ginger or blonde in colour.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5154892.stm

[Martin]

Information has been extracted from a 43' date='000 year old wolly mammoth ([i']Mammuthus primigenius)[/i] bone. The gene, Mc1r, controls the creature's hair colour.

 

The gene, which is responsible for hair colour in some modern mammals too, reveals that wolly mammoths were dark brown, pale ginger or blonde in colour.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5154892.stm

nice find.

I had trouble posting reply earlier.

related links:

http://www.eva.mpg.de/genetics/files/molecular_ecology.html

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20051224/fob1.asp

[FreeThinker]

Interesting! I wonder how much more genetic information they can retrieve!

[olifhar]

Really cool... I wonder if Mammoths changed colors based on the season. I know, ice age, "What seasons?!?" You know what I'm talking about, though.