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Molecular Investigation of Fossil Eggshell Reveals Hidden Ancestry of Giant Extinct Bird

The giant extinct bird, the elephant bird, is believed to have gone extinct in the 17th century. But a recent study has revealed a surprising new insight into its ancestry.

Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have used a combination of ancient DNA analysis and modern molecular techniques to investigate the eggshells of the extinct bird. The results of the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, have revealed that the elephant bird was closely related to the modern-day emu and cassowary.

The researchers used a combination of ancient DNA analysis and modern molecular techniques to investigate the eggshells of the extinct bird. They extracted DNA from the fossil eggshells and compared it to the DNA of modern-day emus and cassowaries. The results showed that the elephant bird was closely related to both species.

The researchers also found that the elephant bird was likely to have been a large, flightless bird, similar in size to the modern-day emu and cassowary. This suggests that the elephant bird may have been a distant ancestor of the modern-day emu and cassowary.

The findings of the study provide new insights into the evolution of the elephant bird and its relationship to modern-day emus and cassowaries. The study also highlights the potential of using ancient DNA analysis to uncover the hidden ancestry of extinct species.

#elephantbird #extinctspecies #evolution #ancientDNA #UNSW #NatureCommunications

This study provides new insights into the evolution of the elephant bird and its relationship to modern-day emus and cassowaries. The researchers used a combination of ancient DNA analysis and modern molecular techniques to investigate the eggshells of the extinct bird. The results of the study showed that the elephant bird was closely related to both species and likely to have been a large, flightless bird. This suggests that the elephant bird may have been a distant ancestor of the modern-day emu and cassowary. The findings of the study highlight the potential of using ancient DNA analysis to uncover the hidden ancestry of extinct species.