Meet Sparta: The 32,000-year-old frozen cave lion cub whose DNA tells the story between them and modern lions |
A 32,000-year-old frozen cave lion cub, nicknamed ‘Sparta,’ has revealed that cave lions are a distinct lineage that evolved independently for over 1.5 million years. Analysis of ancient DNA shows unique biological features and suggests interbreeding with modern lions during colder periods when their ranges overlapped. Pulling out a frozen organism from the ice after…