DNA's Half life

Ziphius

New article in New Scientist suggests that DNA has a half life of about 158,000 years. Not especially along but traces of DNA are estimated to remain in fossils up to 6.8 million years old. Interesting as this is approximately (if I'm remembering correctly) the time that humans and chimps split.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22359-dnas-halflife-identified-using-fossil-bones.html

Capt'n Midnight

the decay rate would depend on temperature and local conditions too

look at the preservation of organic materials and total loss of bones in acidic bogs

it might even depend on the dna sequence !
higher CG content has a higher "melting point" , doesn't really help the backbone but it means strands may be harder to separate.

Manach

Interesting moral dilemmas if there was an attempt, DNA circumstances permitting, to clone some of the earlier hominids or Neanderthals.

Adam Khor

Think this is the same thing:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/dinosaurs/9600894/Jurassic-Park-extremely-unlikely-scientists-conclude.html

im invisible

Ah but we'll still be able to reverse engineer dinosaurs from chickens,

Adam Khor

At this pace, we may invent a time machine first.