Hunt for the Oldest DNA

"A maverick gene-hunter embarks on an epic quest for the oldest DNA. In a scientific triumph, he uncovers the genetic traces of a stunning ecosystem that existed before the Ice Age. Ancient genes from that lost world might help us adapt to our own climate future"

How can we travel back in time? Is there a time machine? Yes. It’s ancient DNA.
–Eske Willerslev

For decades, scientists have tried to unlock the secrets of ancient DNA. But life’s genetic blueprint is incredibly fragile, and researchers have struggled to find DNA in fossils that could survive millions of years. Then, one maverick scientist had the controversial idea to look for DNA not in fossils or frozen ancient tissue – but in dirt.

Witness this scientific breakthrough in Hunt for the Oldest DNA as scientists decipher the oldest DNA ever found, and reveal for the first time the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in a warm, lush Arctic.

Watch Hunt for the Oldest DNA – now streaming online for free on YouTube and PBS.org.