Prehistoric Breast Milk

Scientists found 12,000-year-old mother’s breast milk in frozen lion cubs.

20:47 28 March 2016

Russian scientists claim they have found traces of the world’s oldest mother’s milk in two ancient lion cubs dug from the Siberian permafrost.  They were frozen for at least 12,000 years and scientists said they have a “reason to believe” the carcasses of the extinct predators contain breast milk dating back to prehistoric times.

 

The Siberian Times reports: "Experts do not want to draw premature conclusions but they have 'reason to believe' that the well-preserved innards of two cave lion cubs - one of which will be subjected to an autopsy, the other preserved for future study - contains an opaque white fluid that will prove to be from an extinct lactating lioness.”

 

The cubs were found in November 2015.                           

 

Dr Albert Protopopov, head of the mammoth fauna studies department of the Yakutian Academy of Sciences said that the cubs were dug last year from their icy grave "complete with all their body parts: fur, ears, soft tissue and even whiskers.”

 

He added: "Comparing with modern lion cubs, we think that these two were very small, maybe a week or two old.

 

"The eyes were not quite open, they have baby teeth and not all had appeared."