Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Mice moved to Denmark and Greenland from the Vikings!!!
Summary: On March 19, 2012, a huge team of researchers from the UK, USA, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden used techniques made to identify genetic similarity, or the relatedness of one population, or one individual, with another, to make a mouse colonization timeline. Modern samples of mouse DNA were collected and compared to ancient samples dating mostly from the 10th to the 12th century. Samples of house mouse DNA were collected from nine sites in Iceland, Narsaq in Greenland, and four sites near the Viking archaeological site, L'Anse aux Meadows, in Newfoundland. The ancient samples came from the Eastern and Western settlements in Greenland and four archaeological sites in Iceland. “Analysis of mouse mitochondrial DNA showed that house mice hitched a lift with the Vikings, in the early 10th century, into Iceland, either from Norway or the northern part of the British Isles. From Iceland the mice continued their journey on Viking ships to settlements in Greenland. However, while descendants of these stowaways can still be found in Iceland, the early colonizers in Greenland have become extinct and their role has been filled by interloping Danish mice brought by a second wave of European human immigrants.”
Impact: This can be a break through! Learning that animals have spread by people long ago help us now keep learning more about how animals adapt to new surroundings. Just like finding a timeline of certain species of animal or even humans have and can help us learn our ancestors and races!
Critique: I think this is pretty cool. If I learned about this and I lived in Greenland, I would love all mice to death because they came from Vikings!!! I already love the gerbil “Mustaches” or as I call him Van Halen so much!!! Kisses to you!! The only problem with thinking about animals migrating with humans is rabies or diseases they might bring!!! Oh my, another way we can be terrorized my terrorists!!!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319094801.htm
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Having watched a show about where mice came from I had already had a basic idea. Your blog, however, really put things into perspective for me. I mean, people don't really use old-fashioned ships to carry cargo anymore - and I'm not entirely certain if Vikings still exist - but what would happen if it happened again but to America?! Imagine finding wild mice in your home. Little stowaway nuisances. Gross.
ReplyDeleteThis was very informative Pdiddy, but I personally think you are too enthusiastic about wild mice. I mean, ew. They have diseases, germs, etc. 'House mice' as I like to call tamer, human-friendly mice, are indeed very cute and lovable, and I would love to have one as my own pet. They're cool to look at from behind glass and to pick up/pet. Wild mice, however, are different from house mice. House mice get used to people - wild mice will bite you any chance they get. So in my opinion, I'm glad it's Denmark's/Greenland's problem and not ours. (I'm sorry if I sound mean - everyone is entitled to their own opinions - but if you ask anyone who has wild mice in their homes, they will tell you they're pests and, by all means, NOT cute.)