The Ancient Origins of Gingers: A 10 Million-Year Journey

Scientists have discovered fragments of phaeomelanin, the pigment responsible for ginger hair color, in fossilized frogs, suggesting that gingers have been around for 10 million years. The findings will aid palaeontologists in reconstructing the original colors of extinct species and provide insights into the evolution of animal colors. The study conducted by researchers at University College Cork involved lab experiments on bird feathers and fossilization experiments, demonstrating that traces of biomolecules can survive the fossilization process.