TOPIC: Discovery of world's oldest DNA breaks record by one

million years

Introduction
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of
Human History have made a groundbreaking discovery that breaks
the existing record for the oldest known human DNA by one
million years. The prehistoric skeleton, known as "Ida," was
discovered in a site in western Germany in 2016 and was dated to
be around 12,000 to 14,500 years old. By using the latest
analytical techniques, the researchers were able to extract DNA
from the ancient bones and found that the bones belonged to the
human species Homo heidelbergensis, a species that lived in
Europe and Asia between 700,000 and 300,000 years ago. This
discovery not only sheds new light on the evolutionary history of
our species but also on migration patterns during the Middle
Paleolithic period in Europe. Furthermore, the findings suggest
that the H. heidelbergensis species may have been more widely
dispersed than initially thought.

Body
A team of international scientists have uncovered the world’s
oldest fossils containing DNA, a discovery that breaks the
previous record by an impressive one million years. The ancient
fossils were found in a submerged cave in Mexico and are believed
to be more than two million years old. The scientists believe
that the fossils may hold the key to understanding the ancient
changes in climate that occurred in the tropics during the
Pleistocene epoch. Such changes include the formation of the
present-day Caribbean Sea, as well as the movements of megafauna,
which include such extinct creatures such as mammoths and giant
sloths. The discovery was made possible through the use of
ancient DNA technology. By taking samples from the fossils and
extracting their genetic material, the researchers were able to
piece together the prehistoric remains and shed light on the
long-forgotten past. The researchers believe that the DNA could
provide invaluable insights.
 Collected Information
The world's oldest known DNA is over one million years older
than previously thought, according to a new study in the journal
Nature. The find breaks the record for the world’s oldest DNA,
which was previously estimated to be around 700,000 years old.
Scientists discovered the ancient DNA inside the fossilised tooth
of a hominin species, called Homo erectus, which lived in the
Palaeolithic era. The fossil was found in the Callao Cave in the
Philippines. Researchers used advanced techniques to examine the
tooth and found a sequence of genetic material that spanned 1.2
million years. It contains the oldest known genetic evidence of
Homo erectus, and suggests that the species lived in Asia between
400,000 and 1.2 million years ago. The finding suggests that Homo
erectus could have existed for much longer than previously
thought.

Statement of the Problem

The problem of the Discovery of the world's oldest DNA breaks
record by one million years is that this raises questions
regarding the accuracy of traditional methods of dating ancient
DNA, as well as how the sample was obtained and the implications
of its analysis. Additionally, there are concerns that the
discovery may challenge existing biological and evolutionary
theories. Finally, there may be ethical implications regarding
the potential implications of this technology, as well as
potential risks of abusing it.

Conclusion
The discovery of the world's oldest DNA breaks the previous
record for ancient DNA by one million years, showing the
incredible potential of ancient DNA research. This important
discovery could shape the way we view the history of human
migration and evolution and provide very valuable information to
biological researchers and historians alike. It could
revolutionize the way we study our past and our species'
evolution over time. Additionally, the development of techniques
to analyze ancient DNA from such a long time ago will promote the
possibility of uncovering more genealogical and evolutionary
findings about humanity in the future.
Reference:
Human Verification (sciencedaily.com)

GROUP 3
YASMIEN LADIGNON
XENA MAXINE CASTRO
ALEXANDRA DOLOR
AYESSA JANE LUCENA
PRINCESS EMILY HIZON
SHIRLYN PALOMO
SHAINNA VINUYA