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A wooded ecosystem with mammoths alongside modern species such as arctic hares
Scientists Unearth the Oldest DNA Ever Found
The 2.4-million-year-old environmental DNA fragments collected from permafrost in northern Greenland unlock insights into an ancient ecosystem.
Scientists Unearth the Oldest DNA Ever Found
Scientists Unearth the Oldest DNA Ever Found

The 2.4-million-year-old environmental DNA fragments collected from permafrost in northern Greenland unlock insights into an ancient ecosystem.

The 2.4-million-year-old environmental DNA fragments collected from permafrost in northern Greenland unlock insights into an ancient ecosystem.

eDNA

The infographic shows a new method where researchers used spider webs to monitor environmental eDNA of vertebrates. They demonstrated the effectiveness of their by analyzing samples from a zoo and a wildlife sanctuary.
A Spider-Web Trap to Monitor Environmental DNA
Mariella Bodemeier Loayza Careaga, PhD | Oct 15, 2024 | 1 min read
Sticky spider-web traps are promising non-invasive and cheap tools for terrestrial vertebrate monitoring.
A river surrounded by trees with mountains in the background.
DNA Metabarcoding Reveals Hidden Biodiversity
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Aug 15, 2024 | 2 min read
Genomicist Mehrdad Hajibabaei empowers Canadian communities to monitor bioindicator species in their local freshwater ecosystems.
A blue gloved hand holding a long, brown cotton swab with a dirty tip. 
A Menagerie on a Leaf
Rachael Moeller Gorman | Nov 6, 2023 | 4 min read
A simple rainforest leaf swab revealed DNA from dozens of animal species, possibly improving biodiversity monitoring in the future.
a round water flea is illustrated in black and white on a striated background
Environmental RNA Reveals Heat Stress in Water Fleas
Katherine Irving | Dec 2, 2022 | 5 min read
The eRNA detection method could one day be used to catch early warning signs of distress in wild ecosystems. 
Mammoth Extinction
Finding The Cause of Mammoth Extinction
Sejal Davla, PhD | Sep 7, 2022 | 3 min read
Environmental DNA and climate change data suggest that vegetation scarcity led to the mass extinction of herbivore species, including Arctic mammoths.
teabag with green tag on a white background
Spilling the Tea: Insect DNA Shows Up in World’s Top Beverage
Shawna Williams | Jun 14, 2022 | 5 min read
The Scientist speaks with Trier University’s Henrik Krehenwinkel, whose group recently detected traces of hundreds of arthropod species from a sample of dried plants—in this case, the contents of a tea bag.
two women wearing plastic gloves hold up hand-sized air-capture devices in a wooded area.
Scientists ID Dozens of Plants, Animals from Free-Floating DNA
Dan Robitzski | Jan 6, 2022 | 8 min read
In a trio of studies, researchers report capturing and analyzing airborne environmental DNA from a wide variety of plants and animals, suggesting a new way of monitoring which terrestrial species are present in an area.
5 images related to stories highlighted in the article, including DNA strand, insect, and dog
Our Favorite Genetics Stories of 2021
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Dec 23, 2021 | 4 min read
Studies The Scientist covered this year illustrate the expanding importance of genetic and genomic research in all aspects of life science, from ecology to medicine.
A ship off the coast of Antarctica approaches a beach
Q&A: How to Keep Antarctica Safe from Invasive Species
Dan Robitzski | Nov 23, 2021 | 8 min read
The Scientist spoke with University of Wollongong ecologist Dana Bergstrom about protecting the continent’s native plants and animals in the face of climate change and a growing human presence.
mole rat, environmental DNA, eDNA, airborne DNA, Techniques, Ecology & Environment, biomonitoring, field monitoring, mammals, genetics & genomics
Environmental DNA Can Be Pulled from the Air
Amanda Heidt | Apr 7, 2021 | 4 min read
A proof-of-concept study uses eDNA in the air to detect mammals, expanding the technique beyond aquatic sampling.
Environmental DNA Sequencing: Lessons from Ancient and Modern Environments
The Scientist | Jul 10, 2020 | 1 min read
In this webinar, Eske Willerslev and Simon Creer will discuss the discoveries they have made about the ancient and modern world through environmental DNA sequencing.
water vole edna dna barcode sampling scotland environment ecology conservation
Researchers Detect Land Animals Using DNA in Nearby Water Bodies
Nayanah Siva | Apr 27, 2020 | 5 min read
Monitoring the comings and goings of aquatic life with traces of DNA in water has become an established biomonitoring technique, but scientists are now using environmental DNA to assess terrestrial animals.
Researchers Track Sharks and Whales Using DNA in Seawater Samples
Jef Akst | Jan 1, 2019 | 5 min read
In addition to detecting unseen organisms in the ocean, studies of environmental DNA can shed light on the genetic structure of marine populations.
Opinion: How We Found a New Way to Detect “Hidden Sharks”
Judith Bakker and Stefano Mariani | May 7, 2018 | 4 min read
Given the speed and efficiency of environmental (eDNA) sampling, a much larger portion of the sea can be screened, in a shorter time, for patterns of diversity.
Recreating Fish Migration Written Through Environmental Genomics
Aggie Mika | Jul 16, 2017 | 5 min read
Scientists examine floating traces of DNA left by fish to better understand New York’s aquatic life.
No Place to Hide
Claire Asher | May 31, 2017 | 7 min read
Environmental DNA is tracking down difficult-to-detect species, from rock snot in the U.S. to cave salamanders in Croatia.
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