Prehistoric Bones
Siberia rich with prehistoric bones

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Living in arctic Siberia, scientist Sergei Davydov has reasons to celebrate global warming.

Thanks to the temperature change, huge areas of permafrost are thawing, revealing well-preserved parts of animals extinct thousands of years ago. Davydov's collection includes bones belonging to mammoth, wooly rhino and cave lions.

“These findings can tell us about the ecology of these times, about the eco-systems that existed during those times, about the ecology of the mammoth about his movements, the dangers they faced, and the nature. By analyzing the isotopes in the bones, it is possible to say what the mammoth used to eat, what kind of diet he had, whether he ate grass or twigs, what kind of vegetation it preferred and what kind of climate there was at the time.”

Mammoths are believed to have died out at the end of the last ice age. By studying the bones Davydov hopes to find answers to the mystery surrounding the giant beast. A complete set of mammoth's teeth could throw light on their kinds of grasses and shrubs the animal ate.

“This tooth has a defect, something grows out of it, it shows the tooth was not healthy. Most likely he suffered from toothache.”

Locals are roaming the thawing permafrost, looking for mammoth bones and tusk, which are hot items with museums and can fetch a fortune from collectors.

Local businessman Alexander Vatagin is a passionate hunter, who trades in mammoth bones. Tusks can reach a length of 5 meters and it’s the most sought-after part of the skeleton. Each year, Vatagin leads expeditions to remote rivers where bones can be found littered along the banks.

“You can simply go for a day and find a thing like that and earn 200,000 Rubles at once. This is more than a family can earn in one year by working in a factory in the local town of Andrusha. In one moment, you can earn all this money.”

He sends tons of bones to Moscow every year where museums and collectors are willing to pay big money. While the thawing permafrost is offering unexpected treasures, it is yet another stark reminder of global warming.

Heleen Van Geest, Reuters.

tip： shed/shrow light on something: to help people understand a situation.

(on tracy2010 and fishmice, transcribed by drop02)

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