Science Magazine Podcast A mother lode of Mexican mammoths, how water pollution enters the air, and a book on playing dead
Aug 28, 2025
Rodrigo Pérez Ortega reveals a major discovery of mammoth fossils near Mexico City, reshaping our understanding of these ancient creatures. Kimberly Prather discusses how pollution from the Tijuana River affects air quality, highlighting urgent cleanup needs. Susana Monsó delves into animal perceptions of death in her book 'Playing Possum', challenging our views on grief in the animal kingdom. This conversation bridges science and philosophy, exploring the emotional depth of different species.
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Unexpected Airport Dig Revealed Millions Of Bones
- The mammoth site was uncovered unexpectedly after a cancelled airport project moved construction to a military base north of Mexico City.
- Salvage archaeologists rapidly expanded to hundreds of workers and unearthed bones daily under military-led, fast timelines.
A Slow Accumulation, Not A Single Graveyard
- Bones accumulated over roughly 30,000 years, not from a single mass die-off event.
- The site represents repeated introductions and mixing as the ancient lake grew and retreated over millennia.
Rapid Sampling Enabled Rare Warm-Climate DNA
- Researchers recovered mitochondrial DNA from 61 mammoth molars by sampling bones immediately after excavation.
- Warm-climate preservation was poor, but rapid sampling enabled a major boost in Mexican mammoth genetic data.
