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All articles tagged with "ancient-dna"

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ancient-dna Articles | Developments Today

A drawing of a large cathedral with people standing in front of it.

Ancient DNA study revisits early Montreal ancestry

Researchers sequenced DNA from 45 people buried at Notre-Dame Cemetery in Montreal.
All sampled individuals showed French European ancestry, with no recent Indigenous or African admixture.
The results clarify one cemetery population while raising questions about exclusion in early Montreal.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Oct 15, 2026·via livescience.com

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Ancient DNA unveils distinctive ancestries in the Bronze and Iron Ages of East Tianshan (Ning et al 2026) : r/IndoEuropean (via www.reddit.com)

Ancient DNA Reveals Distinct Bronze and Iron Age Ancestries in East Tianshan

Science (Volume 393, Issue 6817, September 2026) publishes research titled 'Ancient DNA unveils distinctive ancestries in the Bronze and Iron Ages of East Tianshan.'
The headline claim is that East Tianshan Bronze and Iron Age populations carried ancestry profiles that cannot be reduced to a single neighbouring source.
The East Tianshan forms a mountain corridor linking the Tarim Basin, the northern steppe and the settled regions to the east.
Ancient DNA offers direct biological evidence in a region with little contemporaneous written documentation.

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DT Editorial Team·Sep 20, 2026·via science.org

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Plague was killing entire families thousands of years before the Black Death

Ancient DNA Reveals Plague Killed Siberian Hunter-Gatherers 5,500 Years Ago

Plague DNA was found in 18 of 46 hunter-gatherers buried in the Lake Baikal region of East Siberia, dated about 5,500 years ago.
The roughly 40% detection rate is higher than some reported at medieval plague burial sites.
The ancient strains were previously unknown early forms of Yersinia pestis and appear to have been highly lethal.
Researchers suggest the strains carried a genetic factor capable of provoking severe immune reactions.

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DT Editorial Team·Sep 15, 2026·via sciencedaily.com

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Science Through Covers] UC Berkeley team reveals how 500 surviving North American bison preserved genetic diversity - DongA Science (via www.dongascience.com)

Ancient DNA Reveals How American Bison Survived Near-Extinction and Were Managed by Indigenous Peoples

Study published in Science reveals bison experienced a severe population bottleneck ~30,000 years ago, losing up to 90% genetic diversity.
Genomic analysis shows recovery began ~15,000 years ago, with regional genetic differentiation.
Indigenous peoples actively managed bison through controlled burns and selective hunting, influencing their genetics.
Modern conservation can use this data to restore genetic diversity and integrate traditional ecological knowledge.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Aug 11, 2026·via science.org

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DNA double helix on a light blue background with stylized human figures and skulls that read Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, Denisovans, Superarchaics, and Unknown hominins

Study points to two hidden human lineages in modern DNA

Researchers reported evidence for two previously unknown extinct human lineages in modern genomes.
One inferred lineage appears to have contributed DNA to all present-day people.
The second lineage is described as super-archaic and dates back nearly 2 million years.
The work uses living DNA to probe periods and regions where ancient DNA is scarce.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Jul 31, 2026·via livescience.com

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Smallpox DNA in ancient Inca mummies shows virus came from Europe | New Scientist

Smallpox DNA in Inca mummies ties virus to Europe

Researchers found smallpox DNA in two mummified individuals from northern Chile.
Genome comparisons linked the virus to a lineage associated with Europe.
The result provides direct molecular evidence supporting the colonial introduction of smallpox to the Americas.

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DT Editorial Team·Jul 31, 2026·via newscientist.com

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The genome of a long-extinct ancient human is hiding within us | New Scientist

Scientists say modern humans preserve DNA from a ghost ancestor

A new method suggests living humans collectively preserve nearly the full genome of a ghost ancestor.
Each person carries only a small fraction, but the inherited segments appear broadly distributed across the genome.
The approach could help reconstruct ancient lineages even when no fossil DNA is available.

DE

DT Editorial Team·Jul 31, 2026·via newscientist.com

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Ancient teeth from Siberia rewrite the plague's timeline, dating back to over 5,500 years ago

Ancient Teeth from Siberia Push Back Plague's Origins to 5,500 Years Ago

Oldest plague evidence found in 5,500-year-old teeth from Siberia.
Discovery pushes back plague timeline by 200 years.
Plague likely spread from marmots to humans via raw meat or hides.
Respiratory transmission occurred in prehistoric times.

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DT Editorial Team·Jul 4, 2026·via phys.org

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Frozen squirrel scat preserves ancient DNA from hundreds of species

Frozen Squirrel Scat Reveals Ancient Ecosystem of Woolly Mammoths and Big Cats

Arctic ground squirrel coprolites preserved in permafrost for up to 700,000 years contain DNA from woolly mammoths, bison, horses, wolves, and big cats.
The squirrels are omnivorous scavengers, which explains the presence of large mammal DNA in their feces.
The study reconstructs mitochondrial genomes and provides a snapshot of the Beringian ice-age ecosystem.

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DT Editorial Team·Jun 9, 2026·via newscientist.com

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Rare graves reveal a lost world of Bronze Age Europe hidden for 3,000 years

Rare Bronze Age Burials Reveal Gradual Change, Not Sudden Upheaval, in Central Europe

Researchers used rare non-cremated burials and cremated remains to study the Late Bronze Age.
The evidence points to gradual, regionally varied genetic and cultural change rather than sudden replacement.
Communities appear to have stayed locally rooted while experimenting with new foods, burial rituals, and social ties.

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DT Editorial Team·May 20, 2026·via sciencedaily.com

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an artist

Ancient DNA Solves an Anglo-Saxon Burial Mystery, Revealing a Brother and Sister Buried Together

Ancient DNA confirmed that two children in an Anglo-Saxon double burial were siblings
Confirmed biological family links are rare in Anglo-Saxon burial contexts
Researchers suggest the pair may have died close together, possibly from infectious disease

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DT Editorial Team·Apr 17, 2026·via livescience.com

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The problem with thinking you’re part Neanderthal

A challenge to the ‘inner Neanderthal’ story is reopening old assumptions in human evolution

Researchers challenged a key assumption behind the common interpretation of Neanderthal ancestry.
Their alternative explanation emphasizes population structure in ancient Homo sapiens populations in Africa.
The debate is about demographic models as much as raw genetic data.

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DT Editorial Team·Apr 14, 2026·via technologyreview.com

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DNA From 1,500-Year-Old Korean Mass Grave Exposes a Brutal Ancient Ritual

Ancient DNA From a Korean Tomb Is Reframing a Brutal Silla-Era Burial Practice

Researchers analyzed DNA from 78 skeletons dating to Korea’s Three Kingdoms period.
The study examines sunjang, a practice in which attendants were buried with elites.
Genetic patterns differed from patrilocal systems often documented in ancient Europe.

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DT Editorial Team·Apr 13, 2026·via gizmodo.com

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Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder

Ancient DNA From Ice Age Burial Solves 12,000-Year-Old Mystery of Rare Genetic Disorder

DNA from a 12,000-year-old burial in Italy confirms the earliest genetic diagnosis of a rare skeletal growth disorder
A mother and daughter both carried NPR2 gene mutations causing acromesomelic dysplasia, Maroteaux type
The daughter's survival into young adulthood suggests sustained community care in the Ice Age
The finding demonstrates rare genetic diseases existed in human populations during the late Pleistocene
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2026

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DT Editorial Team·Feb 17, 2026·5 min read·via sciencedaily.com

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