News Paleontology

Ancient DNA suggests polar bears evolved recently

Rare fossil shows creatures are most closely related to modern-day brown bears in Alaska

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

The polar bear probably evolved no more than 150,000 years ago and is most closely related to brown bears that now live in southeastern Alaska, new genetic analyses of a rare fossil suggest.

EVOLUTION’S A BEAR Genetic analyses of a fossil unearthed on an island far north of Norway’s mainland suggest that the polar bear, Ursus maritimus, evolved a mere 150,000 years ago.