A rare thing, too.
The universe tends toward entropy.

One day around 32,000 years ago, an arctic ground squirrel ate parts of a plant, silene stenophylla, including its seed. The squirrel was digesting it when its life ended.

Its body was recovered from permafrost and examined. Scientists germinated this plant seed. This silene stenophylla just bloomed.

It is 32,000 years old.

The strength, the vitality and stamina of living things β€” of life itself β€” is incredible.

@ktdoggett Uh, that's how end-of-the-world stories start. PUT THE PLANT BACK IN THE ARCTIC
@steveumstead @ktdoggett Notice that the flower is under a bell jar? I suspect that efforts are being made to keep it isolated, just in case...
@ktdoggett "Ooh, ahh, that's how it always starts, but then later there's running and screaming."
@ktdoggett
Who gets the last laugh now, squirrel?
@ktdoggett 😳😳😳
@ktdoggett I mean this is amazing but also pretty sure it's the premise of a horror movie
@ktdoggett that's interesting as hell. Thanks for sharing!
@ktdoggett This is amazing. And terrifying.
@ktdoggett But can we make wine out of it?
@ktdoggett
A blade of grass doesnt try to grow..it just does.
@ktdoggett I love this! So moving and profound. Thank you for sharing. Never give up!
@ktdoggett Boosted this without alt text because (a) everything is in the post text and (b) it's too awesome to pass up.
@ktdoggett fantastic reallyβ€¦β˜ΊοΈβ€¦thanks for sharingπŸ™
@ktdoggett This is the ultimate comeback story!
@ktdoggett
Not to worry, entropy increased.
@ktdoggett
Thank you for sharing! I love thisπŸ’š
@ktdoggett isn't this how The Thing began!?!
@ktdoggett is it one of the plants grown by David Gilichinsky team from placental tissue of seeds, in 2012?

@ktdoggett

Species:

Fukin dies.

Scientists:

Electric boogaloo?

@ktdoggett
This seed will live longer than the memory of any good or bad human who has ever existed.
@ktdoggett just bloomed? Eleven years ago.

@Br3nda

Relative to 32,000 years, "just" is an apt adjective.

@ktdoggett: Would be nice to also get the arctic ground squirrel to germinate.
@ktdoggett glad they did this in a glass container. I have seen these movies before.... ;-)
@ktdoggett respect for the Life Force.
@ktdoggett can we feed it to a modern squirrel and ask him how it tastes?
@jobriq
Might end up with Secret Squirrel, you never know.
@ktdoggett this tells me that humans, along with their terrible god(s), can go extinct. However, life will systemically evolve on.