Ancient Tooth Proteins Reshape Rhino Evolution-What’s Next for Fossil Science?

Rapid Summary

• Researchers have sequenced the oldest-ever proteins, extracted from 20-million-year-old rhino-relative teeth.
• Two studies published in nature demonstrate proteins are comparatively robust, preserving insights into ancient life.
• The findings rewrite parts of the rhino evolutionary tree, revealing a new branch that diverged much earlier than previously thought (41-25 million years ago).
• Protein sequencing achieved at extreme temperatures:

– Polar samples preserved due to subzero conditions.
– Kenyan samples from fossils dated back 18 million years achieved despite harsh heat of up to 70°C.

• This innovation opens potential for extracting data about biological sex, diet, and food chain positions in extinct species-possibly even dinosaurs and early human ancestors.

!Ancient Tooth Proteins Rewrite Rhino Family tree – are Dinosaurs Next?