FOR KIDS: Cool Jobs: Museum science

Samples collected long ago may hold answers to important questions in science and medicine today

Samples collected long ago may hold answers to important questions in science and medicine today

By Sharon Oosthoek

Web edition: February 28, 2013

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Royal Ontario Museum scientist Oliver Haddrath must wear protective clothing when working with ancient DNA. This ensures his DNA doesn?t get mixed up with the genetic material he is analyzing.

Credit: Royal Ontario Museum

When deadly virus outbreaks occur, scientists want to know where the disease is coming from and how to stop it. In their search for answers, some will pay a visit to their local museum. They are not trying to take their minds off the outbreak. Instead, they come to sift through the museum?s historic collections, looking for clues that might help them save lives.?

In fact, researchers in a broad range of fields have been looking to museum specimens for solutions to new questions in science. Here we get to know?three teams?using old samples to solve science-based puzzles.

Visit the new?Science News for Kids?website?and read the full story: Cool Jobs: Museum science

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/348651/title/FOR_KIDS_Cool_Jobs_Museum_science

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