The idea that scientists might be able to recover dinosaur DNA from fossilized remains seems absurd. But now, the concept has moved beyond the realms of the absurd to the absolutely possible, thanks to the incredible work of a team of paleontologists from China.
From inside the fossilized leg bone of a small, peacock-like dinosaur that roamed the earth 125 million years ago, these scientists discovered remarkably well-preserved cartilage cell specimens, which still maintained a surprising level of structural integrity. Some of the cells still retained their nuclei, and one even contained attached samples of other organic molecules, including chromatin. The latter is a substance found inside cells that is constructed entirely from tightly packed dinosaur DNA particles.
