Russian scientists uncover female mammoth with fresh blood

Members of the mission of the Institute of Applied Ecology of North, the North-Eastern Federal University, and the Russian Geographical Society discovered the carcass of a female mammoth on Lyakhovsky Islands of the Novosibirsk archipelago, the Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.

According to the scientists, the tissues of the animal are almost in perfect condition. The finding is so unique that it can produce an international sensation. The global scientific community can only envy the Russian paleontologists for their opportunity to explore such a priceless ice gem as Yakutia.

"It was established that the individual died when she was 50-60 years of age. Interestingly, fragments of mammoth muscle tissue have a natural red color of fresh meat. The lower part of the body was resting in nearly pure ice, and the upper part was found in the middle of the tundra," the head of the expedition, the chairman of the Mammoth Museum of the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North, Semyon Grigoriev said.

The researchers collected samples of the animal's blood in test tubes with a special preservative agent. The blood is dark; it was found in ice cavities below the belly of the animal. Surprisingly, when the researchers broke the cavities with a poll pick, the blood came flowing out. Temperatures at the time of excavations were only 10 degrees below zero Centigrade.

"One may assume that the blood of mammoths possessed some cryoprotective properties," said Semyon Grigoriev.

Specialists currently conduct all kinds of analyses and tests. Expedition members dedicated their amazing discovery to the 100th anniversary of the Yakutsk branch of the Russian Geographical Society, as well as to the 20th anniversary of the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North. english.pravda.ru/ via The Archaeology News Network

Link 2: Russian scientists make rare find of 'blood' in mammoth

1/2. A researcher in Yakutsk on May 13 next to a carcass of a female mammoth found on an island in the Arctic Ocean. Russian scientists claimed Wednesday they have discovered blood in the carcass of a woolly mammoth, adding that the rare find could boost their chances of cloning the prehistoric animal.

Descubren gran parte de mamut perfectamente conservado

Para el líder de la expedición fue el “renacimiento" de este animal prehistórico

Científicos encontraron gran parte de una mamut hembra sorprendentemente bien conservada en las islas Liajov, en el Norte de la Siberia, y mantiene casi todo su aspecto original prehistórico.

Al mover el animal, los investigadores destacaron su aspecto de carne fresca descongelada e incluso de la presencia de sangre escurriendo entre los espacios, informó el viernes pasado la Universidad Federal Nord Oriental.

Para Semyon Grigoriev, líder de la expedición, es el “renacimiento de un mamut”, lo cual es de un valor incalculable para la institución académica.

El tejido fósil, que incluye el torso, la cabeza y la pata trasera, está “casi perfecto”, dijo el equipo formado por el Instituto de Ecología Aplicada de dicha Universidad y la Sociedad Geográfica Rusa.

Con los fragmentos de tejido muscular, nos enteramos de que el cuerpo tiene el color rojo natural de la carne fresca”, comentó Grigoriev, quien es director del Museo del mamut PA Lazarev y científico del Instituto de Ecología Aplicada de la Universidad Federal Nord Oriental.

“La sangre es de color muy oscuro, y estaba en los huecos vacíos, por debajo de la barriga”, dijo Grigoriev. Cuando separaron los espacios internos, el científico notó, “con sorpresa”, que “se escurría”.

“Esto es aún más sorprendente, ya que la temperatura ambiente en el momento de la excavación se mantuvo alrededor de -7 a -10 grados Celsius. Se puede suponer que la sangre del mamut poseía algunas propiedades crioprotectoras", destacó Grigoriev.

La expedición tomó muestras del líquido y trozos de tejido para su estudio.

Grigoriev cree que la parte inferior del tronco de la mamut estaba tumbada en un hielo casi puro, de ahí las buenas condiciones del resto. Ahora con los deshielos, la parte superior fue descubierta por los autores arrastrada hacia la tundra, en la orilla de Vitayala.

Al analizar los dientes encontraron que se trata de una mamut, una hembra de alrededor de 50 a 60 años de edad.

La Universidad comunicó este 24 de mayo que el hallazgo está generando un gran interés y el Museo espera la visita de científicos extranjeros en julio.  Anastasia Gubin / lagranepoca.com

Actualización 01-06-13. Report Of Liquid Woolly Mammoth Blood Prompts Clone Talk
Scientists in Siberia say they've extracted blood samples from the carcass of a 10,000-year-old woolly mammoth, reviving speculation that a clone of the extinct animal might someday walk the earth, if scientists are able to find living cells. But researchers say the find, which also included well-preserved muscle tissue, must be studied further to know its potential.

The female mammoth's carcass was found "in good preservation on Lyakhovsky Islands of Novosibirsk archipelago," according to a news release about the discovery by North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, Siberia...

Actualización 01-06-13: Video. Mammoth's blood discovery revives cloning hopes



Vídeo YouTube por Euronews el 30/05/2013 añadido a Paleo Vídeos > Prehistoria Universal > L.R.2.5 nº 30.