The Enduring Struggle of Bringing Jurassic Park to Life: 30 Years On

The science of extracting DNA and proteins from fossils to resurrect extinct animals, like in "Jurassic Park," has taken many twists and turns since the movie's release in 1993. While there is evidence of DNA and proteins in fossils, the fragility of these molecules and the challenges of working with ancient tissues make it unlikely that intact DNA can survive for tens of millions of years. However, recent studies have shown that protein remnants can survive for hundreds of millions of years, offering new insights into ancient life and evolution. Better lab protocols and fossilization experiments are helping scientists make more accurate interpretations of fossils and may challenge our understanding of how long molecules can survive and reshape our knowledge of Earth's evolution.