(Photo: Svetlana Yashina via Bloomberg) 
Researchers in Russia have revived a fertile plant from the remains of 32,000-year-old fruit that was found buried within the fossilized burrows of ancient squirrels deep in the Siberian ice.
The resurrected plant, from an era of woolly mammoths and saber-tooth cats, is the oldest viable multicellular living organism, according to the study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It is also the first plant returned to life from permafrost conditions, researchers said.
The discovery raises the possibility of reviving other frozen organisms with prehistoric gene pools, researchers said. Using a horticulture technique called micropropagation, researchers grew the plant from fruit tissue in a test tube of nutrients. The ones that grew roots were transferred into pots with soil and light, where they developed flowers and seeds.
“There is abundant permafrost in northern Alaska and Canada,” said Buford Price, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who edited the paper, in an e-mail. Finding an organism that could produce a plant with dark green leaves and small white flowers shows the benefit of pursuing goals that seem impossible, he said. 
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Executivitus is a condition when someone forgets their roots.
Lost Republic?
Here we have a writer who in the past made noise about anti war issues. Now we have Sen. John McCain advocating US involvement in Syria. And Howard Dean saying US has to intervene. Where are the comments?
Then we have writer who formerly advocated the free market and Mises. Where are the comments on the free market and its advocates in Ukraine?
Instead we get 30,000 year old floral arrangements?
It is summer not time for spring fever. Spending too much time with the available Ukrainian ladies? Your mother will be happy.
In quotes of day we get W. Wilson quote. Understand that Woodrow Wilson was a progressive economically and militaristic to boot!
On the issues that it once advocated? We are now quoting progressives and saying nothing about miltary intervention in Syria.
Oh well, this forum sounded nice in the past. Now relegated to history? A pity… seducded by Socialism?
Ed K
Common, Ed. I’ve occasionally posted pure science stories in the past — just for general interest. :)