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Exclusive: The first pictures of blood from a 10,000 year old Siberian woolly mammoth

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29 May 2013

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First ever sample of mammoth's blood was discovered by Siberian researches. Picture: Semyon Grigoriev

Scientists say they have found both blood and muscle tissue - perfectly preserved in the ice - from a Siberian mammoth. 

The blood had dripped out of the giant animal into a natural ice capsule and it represents a dream discovery for researchers.

It comes amid a hotly contested debate on whether scientists should try to recreate the extinct species using DNA, though there now seems little doubt that this WILL happen, and the Russian team from Yakutsk that made the find is working in a partnership with South Korean scientists who are actively seeking to bring the mammoth back to life. 

first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia

'We were really surprised to find mammoth blood and muscle tissue,' said Semyon Grigoriev, head of the Museum of Mammoths of the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North at the North Eastern Federal University. Picture: Semyon Grigoriev

The find was made in temperatures of minus 10C on the New Siberian Islands - or Novosibirsk Islands, off the coast of the Republic of Sakha. 

'We were really surprised to find mammoth blood and muscle tissue,' said Semyon Grigoriev, head of the Museum of Mammoths of the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North at the North Eastern Federal University. 

'It is the first time we managed to obtain mammoth blood. No-one has ever seen before how the mammoth's blood flows'. 

He explained: 'The approximate age of this animal is about 10,000 years old. It has been preserved thanks to the special conditions, due to the fact that it did not defrost and then freeze again.

'We suppose that the mammoth fell into water or got bogged down in a swamp, could not free herself and died. Due to this fact the lower part of the body, including the lower jaw, and tongue tissue, was preserved very well. 

'The upper torso and two legs, which were in the soil, were gnawed by prehistoric and modern predators and almost did not survive.'

Despite this, he hails it as 'the best preserved mammoth in the history of paleontology. 

first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia

'For now our suspicion is that mammoth blood contains a kind of natural anti-freeze'. Picture: Semyon Grigoriev

The scientists believed from studying her teeth that this mammoth died when she was between 50 and 60 years of age. 

'Of course, we all heard the stories, that indigenous northern people found frozen mammoth meat and fed their dogs with it. However, even if this actually happened, they did not get into hands of scientists. 

'We hope that at least one living cell of the mammoth was preserved, but even in such a good condition of the carcass the chances of this are small.

'Yet it is great luck that the blood preserved and we plan to study it carefully'. 

first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia


first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia

'We have taken all possible samples: samples of blood, blood vessels, glands, soft tissue, in a word - everything that we could'. Picture: Semyon Grigoriev

'For now our suspicion is that mammoth blood contains a kind of natural anti-freeze.

'In 2010, Canadian researchers compared the DNA of the mammoth and its closest relative the Indian elephant. It turned out that mammoth haemoglobin let go of its oxygen much more readily at cold temperatures.'

With the newly-discovered mammoth 'we have taken all possible samples: samples of blood, blood vessels, glands, soft tissue, in a word - everything that we could. 

'Luckily we had taken with us on our expedition a special preservative agent for blood. 

'We decided that taking the whole carcass by helicopter to Yakutsk would be very dangerous and that we could lose invaluable material because of defrosting. We did not take the risk, and moved the rest of carcass - it weighs about a ton - from the islands to the mainland and put it into an icehouse. 

'In late July - early August, we plan to go there with our foreign colleagues for further researches.'

first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia


first ever sample of mammoth's blood Siberia

'We moved the rest of carcass from the islands to the mainland and put it into an icehouse'. Pictures: Semyon Grigoriev

Last year a deal was signed giving South Korean scientists exclusive rights on cloning the woolly mammoth from certain tissue samples found in the Siberian permafrost. Stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk's private bioengineering laboratory confirmed he is poised to make a bid to return the extinct Siberian mammoth to the planet. 

Once the tissues have been treated to a nuclear transfer process, the eggs will be implanted into the womb of a live elephant for a 22-month pregnancy.

Comments (115)

It is interesting how The bible is changed to fit an idea that is a persons mind only and on closer study shows that the bible say what some wish it. The food is only of hundredslike this one. The bible does not say that the water from the sky wasn't the only thing that happened read it for yourself. It says the bowels of earth ruptured. The water came from inside of the earth also. That explains more than most know. As many other times they fail to read on and thus come up with incorrect ideas of events. Culture many times distorts much understanding of the bible and what it really say. I can show many things like death, rapture, death of the so called wicked etc. The bible say study to show yourself approved unto God
Dean, pueblo, colorado
10/10/2013 13:33
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Mankind may have had a hand in the demise of the Mammoth. If this would happen to be true; shouldn't mankind make amends for this and reestablish the Mammoth upon the Earth? Besides you are not playing God when you use God given elements in your endeavour. Reserecting the Mammoth is a great idea and many people probably do not realize that a large area of earth, suitable to the Mammouth, has been set aside, already, for its use. This Mammoth will not be in a cage for long and will certainly have lots of company once the technique is perfected for their cloning. A great deal can be learned from such a project. Whether or not humans hurried the Mammoths extinction, I believe the cloning project should be attempted.
Brig, Old Washington, USA
14/08/2013 07:59
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If a clone or hybrid ( half Asian ,half Wooly) can be created the gene pool would have a great chance of survival as a new sub species, After all do you real think we evolved directly from Apes to Homo Sapien without a little intervention? We are the ultimate species of a genetic experiment carried out in a laboratory called Eden!! Neanderthal was already here. And that would explain how " And Cain came to know his wife" ( Not married his sister,Geez!) and " Genesis Chp 4 :15 the LORD said to him. If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged seven times. So the LORD put a mark* on Cain, so that no one would kill him at sight. Well that explains a lot.And as long as I'm ranting Where it says in the Bible " And God said lets us create man in our own image" The word God in the original text was plural. OH!!! Now that makes sense.. A whole can of worms just opened up!!


Anthony Colon, Miami ,Florida
12/07/2013 00:28
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it would be a amazing discover in world,fresh blood of mammoth WOOw,.
shivam singh, india
01/07/2013 18:22
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Investigate the enzymes of eicosanoid metabolism in blood and tissue cells, and elsewhere in paleo.
Julian Lieb, Middlebury, Vermont USA
23/06/2013 03:19
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Caiden, South Africa06/06/2013 03:463 wote:

'I never get into debates about this sort of stuff because they are never ending but I have to point this out. To all the heavily religious people claiming that cloning this animal would be playing God... Here are some questions and statements to think about: Why did God give humans the ability to do this then? If a person is bound to die but life support saves them, isn't that playing God? - Perhaps from now on, if someone is so terribly injured that they would die but for scientific inventions and artificial machines, they should just be let to die!? If stem cell research (which many believe is playing God) can create cures for diseases and perhaps clone organs in able to save people's lives, isnt that just the same as taking medication? If God created us humans, why give us these abilities... Maybe people who always argue along the lines of "playing God" should stop at think for a minute... God, if he does exist, might be quite pleased that the abilities and intellect he gave us could possibly prevent extinction, bring back the extinct and also save other human lives..... Just a thought, use it; don't use it....Caiden, South Africa06/06/2013 03:463'

For a persons who never gets into debates, you certainly have a lot to say. Here are the answers:

God gave us many abilities. Our task is to choose which ones to exercise. Just because we can does not mean we should. We should give life support. We shoud not clone organs with stem cells. It is not the same as taking medicine, and that's just the way it is, no mroe debate neede. We should not genetically engineer humans. However, we should bring back the Wooly mammoth because they are cool and it would be fun. God does not care about wooly mammoths anyway because they are extinct.
XT, Sweden
14/06/2013 14:35
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The "10,000-year-old" age is probably wrong. This mammoth, along with other frozen mammoths, were probably frozen as a result of the flood of Noah around 4400 years ago. Want an in-depth scientific explanation of how this could have happened, along with hard evidence? Then check out the following web site: http://creationscience.com/onlinebook/FrozenMammoths.html.
Matt W., USA
14/06/2013 05:06
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Is only one else have trouble submitting your comment?
....,
13/06/2013 07:59
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I think that a healthy debate is great, but when people start calling others names such as "IDIOT" when it comes to OPINION is absurd! Some people are talking all “religious” and then bashing someone in the same sentence. I mean look at your logic. It simply blows my mind.


One the topic of the Mammoth I think it is a terrific find. To have LIQUID BLOOD preserved for over 10,000 years is fantastic. Just the properties in the blood could result in a scientific breakthrough, let alone a clone, some people have concerns about the animal living in a contained “zoo” like setting. Maybe this will be a positive thing, being able to create a sustainable life for the possible unstable animal.


I can understand the concern of putting the mammoth through constant tests, but look at the human race…we are always getting medical test/procedures to improve our health. Again I guess this is all a matter of opinion, but lets leave it that way and stop acting like children and “picking” on eachother.
Lindsey, USA
13/06/2013 07:39
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A very interesting story. I wonder what other advancements will come from an attempt at cloning. Look what space exploration did for electronics. The comments are very entertaining too.
RET, Tocoa, Hn.
11/06/2013 06:24
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it is very good news in the ambit of anthropology where a debate of evolution is still going on and it feels difficult to sketch any complete picture of evolution. Frozen mammoth and its preserved blood will make a blue print of evolution which will give clue of man/s existence in that particular area where it is found
alok chantia , Lucknow , India
08/06/2013 19:54
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"For now our suspicion is that mammoth blood contains a kind of natural anti-freeze."

No doubt Monsanto will "patent" this component so that they can add it to their GMO seeds for cold areas.
Barbara, Carmel, CA USA
06/06/2013 07:47
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Blood=healthy meat. I'm trying to have a woolly mammoth burger!
http://startupbook.co
StartupBook, Ithaca, NY
06/06/2013 06:25
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my comment didnt appear
,,,,,
06/06/2013 03:49
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I never get into debates about this sort of stuff because they are never ending but I have to point this out. To all the heavily religious people claiming that cloning this animal would be playing God... Here are some questions and statements to think about: Why did God give humans the ability to do this then? If a person is bound to die but life support saves them, isn't that playing God? - Perhaps from now on, if someone is so terribly injured that they would die but for scientific inventions and artificial machines, they should just be let to die!? If stem cell research (which many believe is playing God) can create cures for diseases and perhaps clone organs in able to save people's lives, isnt that just the same as taking medication? If God created us humans, why give us these abilities... Maybe people who always argue along the lines of "playing God" should stop at think for a minute... God, if he does exist, might be quite pleased that the abilities and intellect he gave us could possibly prevent extinction, bring back the extinct and also save other human lives..... Just a thought, use it; don't use it....
Caiden, South Africa
06/06/2013 03:46
8
1

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