How do scientists extract DNA from fossils?

If something has been completely fossilized, there is no DNA to extract. In fact, there is no biological material of any kind, since it has all been replaced with inert sedimentary rock during the fossilization process. read more

A fossil is basically just a rock that has been cast into the shape of the skeleton of the animal that used to be buried there due to a great deal of time and pressure. DNA can occasionally be extracted from very old remains that haven’t fossilized or haven’t fossilized completely. read more

But if a fossil is young (tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of years - before most of the DNA has degraded) and preserved in good conditions (cold and dry are best for DNA), you can find some - and sometimes lots - of preserved DNA. We’ve found genetic material for animals such as mammoths, sabertoothed cats, birds, and many more. read more

The idea of recreating dinosaurs by extracting DNA from insects in amber has held the fascination of the public since the early 1990s. But Manchester University scientists in their new study, published in the open-access journal PLoS ONE, have revealed this technique is unlikely to succeed. read more