I wouldn’t assume it to be intended to sell.
Part of the yeast being out of circulation for so long means it’s different from any yeasts in the world right now, by nature of not being subject to background mutation and evolving alongside us.
How well does it consume modern sugars compared to modern yeast strains?
How does it handle the process of baking sourdough as we know it?
Multiple bits of useful information to be gleaned.
How do it’s genotypical differences from modern strains actually impact it’s physical reality? Useful correlation to modern yeast as one maps it’s genome.
If it doesn’t react the same way, can you alter the process to make something that still works? If not, did ancient bread just kinda suck? If so, did ancient people have that different process? Regardless of yes or no, then we might get a better lens through which to analyze our current understandings.
If it did have a different set of requirements for baking, one can suspect those same genetic variations may serve as levers by which evolution might impact modern strains. Given our rapidly changing climate, understanding how alterations to yeasts genome impact it is again, potentially very useful even if only as a reference.
Beyond what we can glean about it this particular strain, why not?
Worst case, taste tester dies, as they feared recreated mammoth meat might trigger an allergic reaction to something humanity haven’t been exposed to recently.
I doubt they did this for free with random volunteers signing wavers.
I’d suspect it was a very informed research member trying it after proposing the idea.
Not sure if you know many scientists.
This isn’t even top 10 on the “of course you tried that” list.
Being passionate about learning new things and trying new things with what you’ve just learned is super common.
Know how many Conservation and Wildlife folk I know have tried the local fauna as roadkill? Right of passage for local branch of the State Conservation team. BBQ raccoon isn’t half bad.
How many in Plant Science grow illegal or poisonous flora because “just look at this cute lil guy”
How many engineers I know will use home projects based on their skill set to do something wildly overkill because “I bet that’d work and I already have the laser”
I wouldn’t assume it to be intended to sell. Part of the yeast being out of circulation for so long means it’s different from any yeasts in the world right now, by nature of not being subject to background mutation and evolving alongside us.
How well does it consume modern sugars compared to modern yeast strains? How does it handle the process of baking sourdough as we know it?
Multiple bits of useful information to be gleaned. How do it’s genotypical differences from modern strains actually impact it’s physical reality? Useful correlation to modern yeast as one maps it’s genome. If it doesn’t react the same way, can you alter the process to make something that still works? If not, did ancient bread just kinda suck? If so, did ancient people have that different process? Regardless of yes or no, then we might get a better lens through which to analyze our current understandings.
If it did have a different set of requirements for baking, one can suspect those same genetic variations may serve as levers by which evolution might impact modern strains. Given our rapidly changing climate, understanding how alterations to yeasts genome impact it is again, potentially very useful even if only as a reference.
Beyond what we can glean about it this particular strain, why not? Worst case, taste tester dies, as they feared recreated mammoth meat might trigger an allergic reaction to something humanity haven’t been exposed to recently. I doubt they did this for free with random volunteers signing wavers. I’d suspect it was a very informed research member trying it after proposing the idea.
Not sure if you know many scientists. This isn’t even top 10 on the “of course you tried that” list. Being passionate about learning new things and trying new things with what you’ve just learned is super common. Know how many Conservation and Wildlife folk I know have tried the local fauna as roadkill? Right of passage for local branch of the State Conservation team. BBQ raccoon isn’t half bad. How many in Plant Science grow illegal or poisonous flora because “just look at this cute lil guy” How many engineers I know will use home projects based on their skill set to do something wildly overkill because “I bet that’d work and I already have the laser”