Russian Scientists Revive Plant From 30,000-Year-Old Seeds

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Russian Scientists Revive Plant From 30,000-Year-Old Seeds

Posted by Soulskill on Monday February 20, 2012 @11:30AM from the to-make-a-new-type-of-vodka dept.

An anonymous reader writes "It was an Ice Age squirrel's treasure chamber, a burrow containing fruit and seeds that had been stuck in the Siberian permafrost for over 30,000 years. From the fruit tissues, a team of Russian scientists managed to resurrect an entire plant in a pioneering experiment that paves the way for the revival of other species. The Silene stenophylla is the oldest plant ever to be regenerated, the researchers said, and it is fertile, producing white flowers and viable seeds. ... 'The squirrels dug the frozen ground to build their burrows, which are about the size of a soccer ball, putting in hay first and then animal fur for a perfect storage chamber,' said Stanislav Gubin, one of the authors of the study, who spent years rummaging through the area for squirrel burrows. 'It's a natural cryobank.'"

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That could be a market hit! by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-02-20 11:34 · Score: 4, Funny

You don't usually see something like this in your gardening store.

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Ezekiel 23:20
Oh no by j35ter · 2012-02-20 11:34 · Score: 5, Funny

Another Ice Age sequel *facepalm*

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Delta-Mike November Bravo Tango
1. Re:Oh no by j35ter · 2012-02-20 12:00 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Jurassic park with prehistoric squirrels? Sounds like another George Lucas movie to me...
  
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  Delta-Mike November Bravo Tango
2. Re:Oh no by djlowe · 2012-02-20 12:53 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Jurassic park with prehistoric squirrels? Sounds like another George Lucas movie to me...
  I was thinking more of a sequel to Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Far more terrifying than the Rabbit of Caerbannog, it stalks its prey as it has since the dawn of time..."
In Soviet Russia ... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-02-20 11:40 · Score: 2, Funny

.. plant revives you!
Re:I saw this movie by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2012-02-20 11:42 · Score: 5, Funny

But these are aggressive living things that have no idea what century they're in, and they'll defend themselves, violently if necessary.
Great, just great. And now we've brought them into an era when handguns are cheap and readily available.

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#DeleteChrome
Re:Enough Problems Already... by Beelzebud · 2012-02-20 11:50 · Score: 3, Funny

Isn't there like a Flat Earth Society website that you anti-science douchebags can hang out?
just what I need by bandy · 2012-02-20 11:52 · Score: 5, Funny

Just what I need - another plant to be allergic to.

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"You might as well get your son a ticket to hell as give him a five string banjo." -unknown minister
Re:Enough Problems Already... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-02-20 12:07 · Score: 5, Funny

Did you fail at math?
Obviously he went to high school in Texas. He probably did very well in math.
Re:Enough Problems Already... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-02-20 12:22 · Score: 3, Funny

Then again, it might just taste good mixed in a tossed salad.
I've heard that it improves the taste of beef synthesized from stem cells.

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Ezekiel 23:20
Re:I saw this movie by wbr1 · 2012-02-20 12:22 · Score: 3, Funny

My question is, does Rick Moranis work at this lab? "Feed me Seymore!"

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Silence is a state of mime.
Re:I saw this movie by flyingsquid · 2012-02-20 12:53 · Score: 4, Funny

"How can you do this to us? We brought you back from the Ice Age, and now you've turned on us!"
"Well, what can I say? I guess I'm just a bad seed."
Re:I saw this movie by rubycodez · 2012-02-20 12:54 · Score: 4, Funny

kudzu is good, hides the redneck and hillbilly junk in the yards
Re:Enough Problems Already... by ThePeices · 2012-02-20 12:56 · Score: 4, Funny

My mistake, I missed a zero. Funny how many different numbers I see flying around for how old humans are, yet everyone's up in arms about a simple oversight.
Hi there, you must be new to Slashdot. Welcome to Slashdot.
Re:Enough Problems Already... by Hognoxious · 2012-02-20 23:21 · Score: 4, Funny

... you do realize humans are older than 30,000 years, right?
Joan Rivers and some parts of Cher are even older than that.

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Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."