India, Oct. 23 -- Scientists have identified a previously unknown Ice Age mammal closely related to modern yaks by analysing ancient DNA recovered from tiny bone fragments in Siberia. The discovery was made at Denisova Cave, a site famous for revealing evidence of an extinct human lineage called the Denisovans.

According to Reuters, researchers examined 20 bone fragments, including 14 recovered from Denisova Cave and six from other sites in the surrounding region. The remains were too small and fragmented to reveal the animal's identity through their physical features alone.

The breakthrough came from genetic analysis. Scientists generated 20 ancient genomes and found that the animal belonged to a distinct bovine lineage that began dive...