The paleontologists of Britain, Denmark and Russia will study the ancient deposits in the Main river area, using the most up-to-date equipment. RIA Novosti was told this by the head of the expedition - Ph.D. (Geology and Mineralogy) Andrei Sher.
According to him, life on the Chukot Peninsula in the last geological epoch, Pleiocene, is the main question which interests the scientists.
"We know that at that time nature differed greatly from present-day nature. Herds of mammoths, rhinoceroses, horses and bisons wandered here. Scientists have long been trying to understand what climatic and natural conditions caused this abundance of fauna. Our group will study, in particular, fossil insects from the Chukot Peninsula's frozen deposits," Mr. Sher said. The scientists will also study the genetics and DNK of ancient organisms by their fossilized vestiges.
The paleontologists earlier did a series of research works in the delta of the Lena river (the north of Eastern Siberia) and in Alaska separated from the Chukot Peninsula by the Bering Straits.
It is planned to complete the series of scientific studies on the Chukot Peninsula. "We came here to close this chain and to come to understand what happened to nature here 10,000-20,000-30,000 years ago," the head of the scientific expedition noted.
