Polar bear skull defies DNA test

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: Alan D. Wilson

Attempts to compare the DNA of the remains of an ancient polar bear found in a cave in Scotland with that of modern polar bears have been thwarted when it was found that there isn't enough DNA left to test.

"A sample taken from what are believed to be the only polar bear remains to have been found in Britain has defied DNA analysis, it has emerged. Ireland-based genetics expert Ceiridwen Edwards had hoped to compare the DNA of the animal found in a cave in Scotland with that of modern polar bears. However, she said there was not enough DNA left in the sample for an analysis to be done. The sample was taken from a skull found in the Bone Caves at Inchnadamph. "

View: Full Article | Source: BBC News

[jbondo]

In other news: Some animal nuts told Hollywood actors that Polar Bears are endangered. They promptly made commercials begging for money to save these majestic creatures. Of course we will have to wait a while for the fledgling population to die off but if someone that's been in a feature motion picture says they are endangered, by golly it must be true.

[Mac E]

Too bad it didn't contain any DNA. It would have been interesting to see how much that changed in 14 thousand years.

[:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:]

In other news: Some animal nuts told Hollywood actors that Polar Bears are endangered. They promptly made commercials begging for money to save these majestic creatures. Of course we will have to wait a while for the fledgling population to die off but if someone that's been in a feature motion picture says they are endangered, by golly it must be true.

I applaud your off-topic and sarcastic remark.

[Blizno]

In other news: Some animal nuts told Hollywood actors that Polar Bears are endangered. They promptly made commercials begging for money to save these majestic creatures. Of course we will have to wait a while for the fledgling population to die off but if someone that's been in a feature motion picture says they are endangered, by golly it must be true.

Your point is...."DRILL! BABY! DRILL!"....right?

You mention waiting for a "...fledgling population to die off..."

By "fledgling population" do you mean the ancient populations of polar bears? Those apex predators that have occupied the Arctic far longer than human beings have even existed? Those apex predators that are in the process of going extinct because of humans blasting CO2 into the atmosphere ever faster and faster?

How is this a "fledgling" population"?

Your snide attack fails.

Polar bears are in increasing danger of going extinct thanks to humans, such as you and me, burning fossil fuels at ever increasing rates.

And, no, polar bears going extinct is not a trivial occurrence, despite the sneering tone of your message. Polar bears could not go extinct, mighty predators that they are, unless the world itself was changing drastically for the worse. Polar bears, as they go extinct, are only in the vanguard of the hordes of plants and animals that you and I are driving to extinction because of our greed. Polar bears aren't the most important issue here. They are simply among the first to go extinct because of human change of this, our only Earth. After polar bears go extinct, other species of plants and animals will follow, faster and faster.

Earth is just barely able to feed the billions of humans occupying it as it is now, during these Good Times. Soon, when weather patterns hugely change and drought, storms, floods, desertification, etc. greatly alter the planet we thought we knew, and when those changes last for hundreds, thousands, or more years, humanity will be lucky if a few million survive.

We humans are, with our brilliant success, destroying our only home. Polar bears aren't killing the world, we are. Nobody can save us but us.

[Ozfactor]

if the top apex predators are finding it increasing harder to survive in our over populated greedy world, how will the topmost apex predator survive !

[aquatus1]

Hard to say. What have they been doing over the past 5-6 years?

[XenoFish]