Low Graphics Site
White bar
.: Latest News :. .: News in Pictures :.
Daily SectionMarker

Misc SectionMarker

Horoscope Recipes Weekly SectionMarker

Weekly SectionMarker



Pakistan's Internet Magazine
Herald
Dawn GroupMarker

Archive, Search, Feedback & HelpMarker

Weather

Dawn Classified



FrontPage National International Local Business KSE Forex Sports Editorial Opinion Letters Features Today's Cartoon TV Guide Cowasjee Ayaz Irfan Hussain Review Dawn Magazine Young World Images Dawn Group Subscription To Advertise

DINA
Previous Story DAWN - the Internet Edition Next Story

October 1, 2005 Saturday Sha'aban 26, 1426


Spider find sparks DNA hopes


LONDON, Sept 30: A British scientist revealed on Friday he has discovered a prehistoric spider preserved in amber, possibly meaning its DNA could be extracted — just as in the blockbuster film, ‘Jurassic Park’.

The spider, four centimetres long by two centimetres wide, was trapped in resin 20 million years ago, but has been perfectly preserved, said palaeontologist Dr David Penney.

The scientist, from the University of Manchester in northern England, extracted blood droplets to determine its age.

It is believed to be the first time spider blood has been discovered in amber and could lead to its DNA being extracted — which some scientists say is impossible.

In the 1993 Steven Spielberg film, based on the novel “Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton, scientists recreated prehistoric dinosaurs in a theme park by finding the creatures’ DNA inside insects preserved in amber.

Mr Penney said he used the blood to fathom when, where and how the spider died.

“It’s amazing to think that a single piece of amber with a single spider in it can open up a window into what was going on 20 million years ago,” he said.

Mr Penney reckons the spider was climbing a tree when

it was hit by fast-flowing resin, dying as it became engulfed.

He saw the fossil during a visit to a museum in the Dominican Republic two years ago. It is a new species from the filistatidae family commonly found in the Caribbean and South America. —AFP



Click to learn more...
Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

Previous Story Top of Page Next Story

Seprater
Contributions
Privacy Policy
© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005