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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
DNA has an expiration date. But proteins are revealing secrets about our ancient ancestors we never thought possible.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The moment a creature dies, its DNA begins to break down. Half of it degrades every 521 years on average. By about 6.8 million years, even under ideal preservation conditions in cold, stable environments, every meaningful trace is gone. That's a huge challenge when trying to understand our evolutionary history more deeply: Two-legged primates emerged 7 million years ago in Africa, and our genus showed up around 2.6 million years ago. But DNA breaks down fast in the places our distant ancestors roamed. As a result, many of the key adaptations that make us uniquely human date to a period in which ancient DNA is indecipherable. But a novel technique is allowing us to peer back further than DNA's expiration date in Africa, to answer long-standing questions about our ancestors. Called paleoproteomics, it's the study of ancient proteins, which last longer than DNA. "Proteins are long-lived biomolecules capable of surviving over millions of years," Christina Warinner, a biomolecular archaeologist at Harvard University, and colleagues wrote in a 2022 paper. DNA encodes the instructions to make amino acids, which combine in long strings to make proteins. Because proteins fall apart more slowly than DNA does, they are becoming an extremely valuable resource for understanding human evolution. Archaeologists and the DNA revolution Archaeologists' interest in ancient DNA has skyrocketed since 2010, when researchers published a draft of the Neanderthal genome, confirming that Neanderthals mated with the ancestors of many modern humans. Since then, the technique has been used to answer a number of archaeological questions, such as when the Americas and Australia were settled, when agriculture was invented, and how languages and cultures might have spread. But there are major drawbacks to relying solely on ancient DNA. Even though techniques for extracting DNA from very old bones have advanced significantly over the years, DNA breaks down into smaller fragments over millennia due to the effects of sunlight, heat and humidity. As a result, DNA analysis of our ancient relatives' bones and teeth has a time limit that prevents us from learning about our more distant evolution through this technique. Related: Oldest human DNA reveals mysterious branch of humanity That's an even bigger problem in Africa, where most human evolution took place. "Africa is the center of our evolutionary past, and we don't have ancient DNA in Africa beyond a scale of maybe 20,000 years at this point," Adam Van Arsdale, a biological anthropologist at Wellesley College, told Live Science. Knowing what was happening biologically with our distant ancestors millions of years ago in the core of Africa would transform our understanding of human evolution, Van Arsdale said. An explosion in protein analysis Proteins are an exciting target for anthropologists because they can outlast even the oldest DNA. They have fewer atoms, fewer chemical bonds, and a more compact structure, which means they are less fragile than DNA, according to Warriner and colleagues. The first ancient proteome — a group of proteins expressed in a cell, tissue or organism — was extracted from a 43,000-year-old woolly mammoth bone in a study published in 2012. In 2019, researchers announced the oldest mammalian proteome for the time: that of a 1.9 million-year-old tooth from the extinct ape relative Gigantopithecus. And in 2025, researchers successfully extracted the oldest proteins yet, from Epiaceratherium, an extinct rhinoceros-like creature that lived in the Canadian Arctic more than 21 million years ago. As we improve the methods for identifying proteins, anthropologists are starting to use these methods to answer questions about human evolution. In a 2020 study published in the journal Nature, researchers analyzed the proteins in the tooth enamel of Homo antecessor, an extinct human relative that lived in Europe 800,000 years ago. They discovered that H. antecessor's proteins were different from those of H. sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans, making them a separate branch of our evolutionary tree rather than our direct ancestor. In a study published in April in the journal Science, proteomic analysis was also used to figure out that a mysterious jawbone first found in the early 2000s off the coast of Taiwan was related to the Denisovans, a group of extinct human relatives. Before this, paleoanthropologists did not know whether the Denisovans had lived in that part of the world. The analysis also demonstrated that it's possible to identify the proteins found in fossils from warm, humid regions. Our African roots Paleoproteomics may be even more transformative for deciphering our more distant evolution. Two recent studies of fossil bones and teeth from Africa, where DNA studies are nearly impossible, highlight the method's potential. Related: Oldest and most complete ancient Egyptian human genome ever sequenced reveals ties to Mesopotamia In the first, published in May in the journal Science, archaeologists recovered ancient proteins from the teeth of four members of the species Paranthropus robustus, a human relative that lived between 1.8 million and 1.2 million years ago. They showed that two of the individuals were male and two were female. Surprisingly, though, the researchers discovered that one of the P. robustus individuals who was thought to be male was actually female. This suggests that some skulls previously classified as one sex of a known species may have in fact belonged to unidentified groups or newfound species. In the second study, published in February in the South African Journal of Science, researchers recovered the proteome from the tooth enamel of Australopithecus africanus, a human relative that lived in South Africa 3.5 million years ago. Although they were only able to identify the biological sex of the australopithecines, the researchers wrote that "these are all incredibly exciting breakthroughs that are poised to revolutionise our understanding of human evolution." One question this analysis could help answer is whether males and females of our ancestors and relatives differed dramatically in size or features, Rebecca Ackermann, a biological anthropologist at the University of Cape Town, told Live Science. For instance, protein and sex analysis could reveal that some bones previously interpreted as males and females of the same species were actually individuals of the same sex, but from different lineages. So far, though, scientists have successfully analyzed proteins from just a small number of ancient human ancestors . But while modern humans have more than 100,000 proteins in their body, the enamel "proteome" is tiny; it's composed of just five major proteins related to enamel formation. Still, the variation in the protein sequences can be enough to differentiate between related organisms. Future frontiers Analysis of the differences in those proteins likely does not provide enough resolution to answer key questions, such as how ancient human ancestors and relatives were related, Ackermann said. For instance, millions of years ago in East Africa, several two-legged primate species overlapped in time, but whether they could interbreed and create fertile hybrids is not clear from their bones alone. Related: World's oldest DNA reveals secrets of lost Arctic ecosystem from 2 million years ago Could ancient proteins eventually help answer that question? Ackermann is cautiously optimistic that technology will advance enough for paleoproteomics to clarify evolutionary relationships among closely related groups. "Whether or not we can say more about hybridization is a good question," she said. RELATED STORIES —130,000-year-old mammoth calf smells like 'fermented earth and flesh,' necropsy reveals —Royal tomb in Benin has traces of human blood on its walls, hinting at human sacrifice, study finds —Scientists discover 1 million-year-old DNA sample lurking beneath Antarctic seafloor Even so, bone and enamel proteomes may never be detailed enough to distinguish closely related individuals in the same way genomes can, Ackermann added. But there's a chance techniques will improve enough for scientists to extract proteins from millions-of-years-old tissues, Ackermann added. Most proteins made by humans, including those that are part of the "dark proteome," have not been analyzed, which means we have little idea what they do, Warriner and colleagues wrote. "The next 20 years will surely hold many surprises as we begin to apply this analytical power to answer long-standing questions about the past and innovate new solutions to old problems," they wrote. Human evolution quiz: What do you know about Homo sapiens?
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
One-Day-Old Miniature Donkey's Struggle ‘To Figure Out How Her Legs Work' Is Just Too Cute
One-Day-Old Miniature Donkey's Struggle 'To Figure Out How Her Legs Work' Is Just Too Cute originally appeared on PetHelpful. If you are in need of your daily dose of mind-boggling animal cuteness, look no further than this baby miniature donkey trying to discover how her legs work. Not only is she so adorable with her tiny legs and big head that supports a cute as can be donkey Afro, already total cuteness overload in of itself, but her attempts at walking are just on a whole other level of cuteness! According to this video, this one-day-old miniature donkey goes by the name of Stella. Like all adorable baby animals, Stella is following her mama to learn how things work in this world, and on her farm in particular. At this moment, her mom is showing her the barn and stable where they live. Stella is really taken in by everything; it's also new to her, so she looks around with the utmost awe and wonder at her of course, she can't just stand around there forever; it's time to get into her stable with her mama. While her mama walks into the stable at a very relaxed pace, Stella is almost itchy; she is so excited to walk, but the experiencing of walking itself is still so new to her. She almost tumbles a few times, because her tiny little legs are not used to supporting her yet. She does, however, manage to do a very impressive donkey kick before eventually making her way into the stable to be with her mama. And of course, watching all this is just too cute for words! A little while later, Stella has grown more and is starting to come into her own, understanding how her body works much better. And of course, she is very excited by all this, unleashing the most precious zoomies to show how excited she is! And wow, she sure can go! That Stella really has a motor on her! If donkey racing were a professional sport, Stella would be getting ready to make her debut! If one thing is for sure, it's that Stella the donkey, with her irresistible cuteness and lovable zoomies, knows how to command our attention! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. One-Day-Old Miniature Donkey's Struggle 'To Figure Out How Her Legs Work' Is Just Too Cute first appeared on PetHelpful on Jul 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy Cameco While It's Below $61?
Cameco stock is trading near its highest levels in 25 years. The last time its stock was this high was in 2024. A rebounding uranium price and solid first-quarter earnings helped get investors in a positive mood. 10 stocks we like better than Cameco › After the Fukushima nuclear meltdown in Japan in 2011, shares of uranium miner Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) fell into a deep rut. It took a decade for it to climb out of the hole, and in 2024, the stock rose toward a high of a little over $60 a share on rising uranium prices. When uranium prices began falling in February 2024, the stock fell along with it, going as low as the mid-$30s. The stock price eventually recovered and it now trades around $58 a share. Should investors buy Cameco as it makes a run toward the 25-year-high price of a touch over $60 again? Cameco is a large Canadian miner that produces and processes uranium into fuel for nuclear power plants. It also owns a 49% stake in Westinghouse, which provides services -- from plant construction to plant maintenance -- to nuclear power companies. It is one of the largest publicly traded producers of uranium on the planet. A key selling point for Cameco's uranium is where it operates. The vast majority of its owned mines are in North America, a region considered economically and politically stable. And while it does source uranium from less-stable regions, potential customers generally appreciate working with companies from stable regions. Cameco's long history in the industry is another positive, since it proves the company can survive the swings that commodities often experience. Such swings are particularly notable for uranium because external factors can have such a large effect on the nuclear power industry. The Fukushima meltdown was the most recent example, with other notable events including Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. After such high-profile disasters, nuclear power usually goes through a period in which it is shunned and uranium prices fall. When nuclear power is out of favor and uranium demand is thus relatively weak, Cameco's stock price suffers. But nuclear power is increasingly being seen as a clean source of baseload power (the minimum required to meet the demands of a power grid) to support intermittent clean energy sources like solar and wind. With Fukushima more than a decade in the past, the negative overhang is long over. Despite a year-over-year drop in uranium prices, Cameco managed to put up solid first-quarter 2025 earnings results. That's in large part because it doesn't sell uranium at the spot price, it signs long-term contracts. This helps support earnings when uranium prices are falling, but it can hinder earnings when uranium prices are rising. All in, more conservative investors will likely view this approach as a fair trade-off given that uranium is an often volatile commodity. That said, it is the long-term story that investors will want to consider if they are looking at Cameco right now. That's because, based on current expectations, there is going to be a growing supply gap starting in 2030. The increasing use of nuclear power around the world is causing that gap, and if nothing changes, uranium will likely become more dear in a few years. And that should lead to increasingly strong results for Cameco. Cameco is a supplier to the nuclear power industry, making it a pick-and-shovel play on the growth of this energy source. Given its use of long-term contracts, it is one of the less volatile ways to invest in uranium. And the long-term outlook for uranium demand suggests that strong financial performance is likely as uranium demand rises above supply. All of this makes Cameco look attractive today if you have a glass-half-full view of the world. The glass-half-empty view here, which deserves strong consideration, is that past nuclear power renaissances haven't lasted. The big problem is that the view of nuclear power could change quickly if there is another power plant meltdown. And with Cameco's stock heading back toward 25-year highs, there's more downside than there has been in a long time for what is still a commodity-driven business. In other words, only more aggressive investors with a positive view of uranium should consider Cameco. Most others will probably be better off sticking to a utility company that owns nuclear power plants, like Southern Company or Constellation Energy. Before you buy stock in Cameco, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Cameco wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $651,049!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $828,224!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 979% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Southern Company. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Constellation Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Cameco. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Cameco While It's Below $61? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Kembla preview: Trainer Claire Lever's patient approach yields success as Yes Siree aims for second win
As legendary trainer Bart Cummings once said, 'Patience is the cheapest thing on racing and the least used.' Hawkesbury trainer Claire Lever is one person who follows that ideology with her horses and her latest subject is the three-year-old Yes Siree. From his early days the stable, the gelding showed Lever he was blessed with nice ability and even after he won a Hawkesbury barrier trial last November, she put him away knowing he wasn't ready to take the next step. 'He showed nice ability from the time he came into the stable but he was really slow to mature,' said Claire Lever. 'He kept growing and took a long time to come together to where you want him to be. The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! 'He grew more than we expected and took time to mature. 'I know he trialled well last time around but we just wanted to see him develop a bit more so we tipped him out. 'It wasn't until this preparation that he got to where we could do a bit more with him.' Returning for a late autumn and winter campaign, Yes Siree rewarded Lever and his owners with a debut win at Wyong on May 1. 'He trialled well then went to the races and won his first start,' Lever said. 'It probably wasn't an overly strong form race but it was over an unsuitably short distance for him and he did a few things wrong so he's progressing. 'It nice to have a horse in the stable that will keep improving that has been looked after.' That Wyong win came on a Heavy 10 but it was no surprise he handles the conditions so well being a son of Everest winner and Randwick 1200m track record holder Yes Yes Yes from an O'Reilly mare. Yes Siree is looking to make it two from two when he steps out on the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) at Kembla on another heavy track with Grant Buckley to ride. 'It's a heavy track again but the Yes Yes Yes' have won all well on heavy tracks,' she said. 'The fact he ticked that box off, you can go to the races with that little bit more confidence that the track is not going to worry him too much. Casanova just finds enough to win at Hawkesbury for @leverracing! ðŸ'� â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025 'Down the track, I think 1400m will be is best distance but stepping up to 1200 metres this weekend will be good for him.' Four-year-old gelding Casanova has been a model of consistency in his two campaigns for Lever with a win and two placings in the first and he has a win and two placings so far this time in. He is looking to improve on that when he lines up in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) with Lever husband, Chad, to ride. The gelding scored a tough win on his home track in March before a rare blip when well back behind Monkhena there a month later. A drop in grade saw him return his usually form with a third behind Exceedingly Hot at Queanbeyan on May 11. 'He is very honest, he puts himself up on speed or thereabouts and just tries really hard,' Lever said. 'His run at Hawkesbury was out of character but he pulled up okay. 'He bounced back with a better effort last start although it was at Queanbeyan in weaker grade. 'Back to provincial grade, on a nice track and down in weight, I think he will run well again.
