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“This amazing find is one of the most exciting moments of my career,” says Manuel J Salesa, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid who was not involved in the study, to the New York Times’ Asher ElbeinOther frozen Homotheriums will surely be unearthed, Lopatin tells the New York Times Salesa, the paleontologist in Madrid, tells the outlet he hopes the researchers find adults
“That would be absolutely shocking,” he addsThe cub had no carpal pads, a physical trait common in cats and dogs, which may have been useful for walking on snow, says Lopatin, per the New York Times The study also notes that the cub had a large stout neck, different than those of modern lion cubsThe study, published on Thursday in Scientific Reports, describes the frozen kitten’s 35,000-year-old body
The mummy contains the head and front parts of the animal, including fur and muzzle, making it possible for scientists to study these for the first timeIt’s distinct from its counterpart that lived in North America, H serum, as well as the African species, H problematicum and H
africanum Most Homotherium remains have been discovered in North America, making this latest find a valuable opportunity to shed light on the Eurasian branch of the genusThe recently discovered individual from Russia belongs to the species H latidens, which lived in Eurasia until around 10,000 years ago when the last Ice Age came to a close
Researchers found the mummy of a 35,000-year-old saber-toothed cub in what is now Russia's northeastern Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, in 2020 A study published this past week in the journal Scientific Reports shows that the cat was just three weeks old when it died, but its cause of death is unknownThe mummified cub remained well-preserved, frozen in time for thousands of years The frozen nature of this find left it in impressive condition, even still containing fur
The remains had been found back in 2020, northeast of Yakutia, Russia Research regarding the study of the cub was published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 14, 2024Radiocarbon dating of the kitten's fur suggests that it had been buried for at least 35,000 years It is the first time that scientists have been able to describe physical characteristics like the texture of the fur, muscle mass and the shape of the muzzle for this species, Homotherium latidens
For the first time, scientists have recovered the mummified, frozen body of a juvenile saber-toothed cat from the Arctic permafrost in Siberia Despite being over 35,000 years old, the sub-zero temperatures have kept the specimen in a remarkable state of preservation, with its fur, head, torso, and limbs still intactSaber-toothed cats from the genus Homotherium are known for their enormous canine teeth, which stuck out of their mouths and were used to kill and grab prey It's estimated that the animals went extinct about 12,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene period, which is also known as the last Ice Age
The study authors note that the juvenile saber-tooth has “significant differences from a modern lion cub of similar age” Compared to a lion of similar age, the saber-tooth cat has an “unusual” shape of the muzzle, a large mouth opening, small ears, elongated forelimbs, a chunky neck region, and a dark coat color The researchers noted that these are all classic adaptations to living in cold climatesThis individual was essentially a kitten, perishing just three weeks after its birth
Unfortunately, its extremely young age means it had not yet developed the exceptionally long upper canine teeth that are characteristic of the genusIFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services You may unsubscribe from these communications at any timeFor information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out ourPrivacy PolicyWhile searching for mammoth tusks in eastern Siberia, scavengers found a rare ice mummy along the banks of the Badyarikha River
One of the many treasures to be unearthed in Siberia, the finding turned out to be a three-week-old saber-toothed kitten preserved in the permafrostSiberia’s cold and dry conditions, with part of the region sitting above the Arctic Circle, make it easy to preserve ancient fossils The permafrost layer, underneath an active soil, is frozen sediment that has remained so for two or more years This is the layer where well-preserved fossils are often found, including a mummified woolly rhino and a 32,000-year-old wolf head
The cub’s dark brown fur, however, was “perhaps the most surprising thing,” Lopatin tells the outlet The well-preserved carcass offers a new glimpse into the extinct species Previous descriptions were drawn from fossil bones, but the mummified cub provides insight into their soft tissue anatomyIn recent years, several other animal species have been excavated from the permafrost of Siberia, including woolly rhinoceros, mammoths, wolves, cave lions, and birds
Since Neanderthals and Denisovans also inhabited Eurasia during this period, it raises the question of whether we might one day discover an extinct human species preserved in permafrostThe team is already working on another study where they’ll discuss the anatomical features of the cub in more detail, they write in the new paper For now, at least, the remarkable frozen cub offers a snapshot of a time long gone, when woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed EarthBy entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News
You understand that you can opt-out at any timeLopatin and his colleagues were able to study the cub’s neck and tufts of fur, even its paws This is where the permafrost layer played an important role, as “the muscles, bones and skin are well preserved in the permafrost ice,” Lopatin tells Gizmodo’s Isaac SchultzThe kitten still had its whiskers and claws attached when it was pulled out of the permafrost, and was covered in a coat of short, thick, soft, dark brown fur
The cub’s dark brown fur, however, was “perhaps the most surprising thing,” Lopatin tells the outlet. The well-preserved carcass offers a new glimpse into the extinct species. Previous descriptions were drawn from fossil bones, but the mummified cub provides insight into their soft tissue anatomy.In recent years, several other animal species have been excavated from the permafrost of Siberia, including woolly rhinoceros, mammoths, wolves, cave lions, and birds. Since Neanderthals and Denisovans also inhabited Eurasia during this period, it raises the question of whether we might one day discover an extinct human species preserved in permafrost.The team is already working on another study where they’ll discuss the anatomical features of the cub in more detail, they write in the new paper. For now, at least, the remarkable frozen cub offers a snapshot of a time long gone, when woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed Earth.By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.Lopatin and his colleagues were able to study the cub’s neck and tufts of fur, even its paws. This is where the permafrost layer played an important role, as “the muscles, bones and skin are well preserved in the permafrost ice,” Lopatin tells Gizmodo’s Isaac Schultz.The kitten still had its whiskers and claws attached when it was pulled out of the permafrost, and was covered in a coat of short, thick, soft, dark brown fur. Its hair was about 20 to 30 millimeters long, according to researchers.
