How reliable is DNA in studying fossils?
DNA survives a maximum of one to 1.5 million years, so bringing dinosaurs to life is impossible. To date, the oldest DNA found and extracted was from a mammoth that was 1.5 million years old.
Researchers try to recreate mammoths, but one needs the entire genome. DNA does not survive over millions of years even in amber. If the decay rate is accurate, then we predict that DNA fragments will preserve in frozen fossil bone of around one million to 1.5 million years in age. We can find DNA in fossils especially in bones, even though the process of fossilization involves replacing the organic tissue in an animal’s bones with minerals.
This effectively destroys the cells that may contain DNA. DNA has a 521-year half-life. The oldest complete genome ever sequenced comes from a 700,000-year-old horse bone found in Siberia, frozen in the permafrost since the animal’s death.
Only fossils that contain intact and complete DNA can be sequenced. We recovered DNA sequences from coprolites of Neanderthals and thus his diet and way of life were analyzed. We should know by now
Further study and suggested videos:
The genetic secrets some fossils hold – PubMed (nih.gov)
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