Oldest parasite DNA yet recorded found in prehistoric puma poo

Coprolite reveals felines in southern Andes had roundworm 17,000 years ago, long before humans got there

The compact, gnarled and knobbly specimen looks like a root of ginger. In fact, it's 17,000-year-old puma poo, and it contains the oldest parasite DNA yet recorded.

The team of researchers behind the discovery say the finding not only confirms that the felines were prowling around the Andes towards the end of the last ice age, but reveals that they were infested with roundworm long before humans and their animals turned up.