We used to believe that polar bears branched off from brown bears about 150,000 years ago to be able to live on the Arctic Sea. This hypothesis might soon be disputed, for new DNA evidence says differently.
The new study looked at the mitochondrial DNA of black bears, polar bears, and brown bears. They found that brown and polar bears have a common ancestor and split up about 600,000 years ago. During the study it was found that polar bears are much more genetically unique than previously thought.
The new find does not only challenge the idea that polar bears branched off from brown bears, but also that polar bears adapted quickly to their new environment. One thing the study confirms is that polar bears have made it through warm periods on Earth in the past.
This makes me wonder, because while we now know that they've made it through warming periods on Earth without dying off that doesn't mean that the Earth warmed up at such an accelerated pace like it is today. Will polar bears manage to tough this one out like before? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The new study looked at the mitochondrial DNA of black bears, polar bears, and brown bears. They found that brown and polar bears have a common ancestor and split up about 600,000 years ago. During the study it was found that polar bears are much more genetically unique than previously thought.
The new find does not only challenge the idea that polar bears branched off from brown bears, but also that polar bears adapted quickly to their new environment. One thing the study confirms is that polar bears have made it through warm periods on Earth in the past.
This makes me wonder, because while we now know that they've made it through warming periods on Earth without dying off that doesn't mean that the Earth warmed up at such an accelerated pace like it is today. Will polar bears manage to tough this one out like before? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
No comments:
Post a Comment