Articles tagged with Ancient Dna
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A recent study in Molecular Biology and Evolution reconstructed artificial genomes with the analyses of 565 contemporary South Asian individuals to extract ancient DNA signals. The researchers found valuable genetic components that allow them to elucidate the genetic composition of ancient populations in the region. Additionally, they ...
The study shows that Iberian male lineages were virtually replaced by newcomers from the Russian steppe between 4,500 and 4,000 years ago. The researchers found a significant influx of new people during the Copper Age, which left an indelible mark on the region's genetic makeup.
Researchers have reconstructed an 8,000-year genetic history of the Iberian Peninsula using ancient DNA from over 270 individuals. The study reveals complex population structures and unexpected interactions with North Africa and the Pontic-Caspian steppe.
Researchers have discovered that Ibiza natives possess a unique genetic signature distinct from the rest of Spain's population. The study suggests that current Ibizans descend from Catalan invaders who repopulated the island from the 13th century, resulting in a genetic anomaly similar to that found among Basques.
Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the US reveal that the African origins of New Zealand's giant extinct adzebill bird were traced to the tiny flufftails found in Madagascar and Africa. Genetic data analysis suggests a close relationship between the adzebills and their living relatives.
Researchers developed a new concept called Ancient Ancestry Informative Markers (aAIMs) that can accurately identify and classify ancient populations. The tool enables testing of an individual's similarity to ancient people from various regions, providing insights into their primeval origins.
A QUT-led collaboration reveals the banded hare-wallaby is the closest living relative of the giant short-faced kangaroos. The study combined DNA evidence with fossil and anatomical data to trace body size change over millions of years.
The study found the earliest evidence of Siberian ancestry in Fennoscandia in a population inhabiting the Kola Peninsula, Russia, dating to around 4,000 years ago. Ancient DNA from Finland reveals that people genetically similar to present-day Saami people inhabited areas in much more southern parts of Finland than the Saami today.
Ancient DNA analysis reveals extinct Jamaican monkey Xenothrix, which diverged from Cheracebus monkeys around 11 million years ago. The study suggests that adaptation can shape species morphology in novel environments, supporting primate colonization of the Caribbean islands.
A study of ancient DNA from 49 individuals in Belize, Brazil, and the Central Andes reveals that most Central and South American ancestry originated from at least three different streams of people entering from North America. The research also detected two previously undocumented genetic exchanges between North and South America.
A study of 22 skeletons found in Israel's Peqi'in Cave reveals a significant ancestry from northerners, similar to those living in Iran and Turkey, contributing to the development of the Chalcolithic culture. The findings suggest that waves of migration played a key role in shaping the unique culture of the region.
New research using ancient DNA from 8,000-year-old skeletons in Southeast Asia has resolved a long-standing controversy about the origins of the region's population. The study found that present-day Southeast Asian populations derive ancestry from at least four ancient populations, contradicting both competing theories.
Researchers have developed a new analytic method, Time Population Structure (TPS), to date ancient DNA by predicting time based on DNA mutations. TPS has shown results similar to traditional radiocarbon dating, with an average difference of 800 years in age predictions for samples up to 45,000 years old.
Ancient DNA analysis of Icelandic populations reveals a strong connection to Scandinavian and British-Irish Isles, whereas modern Icelanders show less similarity. A second study explores the genetics of first Americans, suggesting a deep split in North and South American populations occurred south of the Laurentide ice sheet.
Research suggests that Indigenous peoples in Central and South America retain DNA from the northern branch, which originated from eastern Canada. The study reveals a 'reconvergence' of two ancestral branches around 13,000 years ago.
By analyzing ancient DNA from Southeast Asian individuals, scientists identified two major waves of genetic mixture indicative of specific migration events. These migrations, occurring during the Neolithic period and Bronze Age, reflect the introduction of farming and cultural shifts in the region.
Researchers recover intact human mitochondrial DNA from common type of plant-based artifact, providing insights into the genetic ancestry of Native Americans in the Desert Southwest. The study also sheds light on the Numic Spread event, a contentious debate among scientists.
Researchers must consult with Indigenous communities before analyzing ancient DNA to avoid harming descendants and stigmatizing their communities. Collaboration with communities strengthens analysis and allows for better questions to be asked, guided by community narratives.
DNA analysis of ancient latrines reveals past diets, animal domestication, and hunting practices in Northern Europe and the Middle East from 500 B.C. to 1700 A.D., with parasite eggs reflecting raw or undercooked fish and pork consumption.
Research found that Australian offshore island emus were smaller versions of their mainland relatives and their body size correlated to the size of their inhabited islands. The study analyzed DNA and bone measurements of extinct small emus on King Island, Tasmania, and Kangaroo Island.
A new study using ancient and modern genome-wide data found that Papuan ancestry replaced early Austronesian-Lapita population in Vanuatu, yet the original Austronesian languages persisted. This provides a unique case of demographic history where genetic ancestry but not language was replaced.
The diffusion of bell beakers in continental Europe was driven by the dissemination of ideas rather than migration, according to a recent genetic study. This finding refutes the long-accepted theory that the spread of cultural elements was associated with significant migrant movements.
A new study using ancient DNA analysis has found that human populations have been migrating and mixing extensively throughout history, with the Yamnaya people from Central Asia expanding rapidly to Europe, Britain, and beyond. The research also reveals a biased genetic exchange between farmers and hunter-gatherers in northern Europe.
Researchers discovered evidence of Phoenician settlement and integration with indigenous communities in Monte Sirai, as well as unique mitochondrial lineages indicating female mobility to Sardinia and North Africa. The study provides new insights into the inclusive nature of Phoenician society.
Researchers analyzed ancient DNA from Rapa Nui samples, finding no genetic links to South Americans; instead, they suggest Native American ancestry may be a result of recent history. The study highlights the value of ancient DNA for testing hypotheses about past interactions.
A new study maps the mysterious loss of the Tasmanian tiger from mainland Australia, tracing its history over 30,000 years. Climate change and increased human activity are found to be key causes of extinction, with a large population of thylacines living in western regions until around 3000 years ago.
A large-scale study of ancient human DNA from sub-Saharan Africa has shed light on the identity of prehistoric populations, their movements and genetic adaptations. The research found evidence of a population replacement in Malawi and identified a mysterious group that spanned from southern Africa to the equator.
Researchers reconstructed African population structure using ancient DNA from 15 individuals, revealing a more complex history than previously thought. The findings show that populations related to indigenous people of southern Africa had a wider distribution in the past, contributing to ancestry of modern-day populations.
Researchers found significant ancestry from Western hunter-gatherers and Anatolian farmers in ancient Roman genomes, suggesting multiple admixture events. The study reveals a nuanced and complex relationship between hunter-gatherers and farmers in the Danube basin.
Researchers discovered a 17th-century variola virus in a child mummy, providing a more accurate timeline for the evolution of smallpox. The study suggests that smallpox may have appeared in humans more recently than previously thought, and its evolutionary history was influenced by human migration and colonization.
Scientists have recovered ancient DNA from a West Indian mammal known as the 'Island Murderer,' tracing its evolution back to 70 million years ago. The study sheds light on the impact of humans on recent extinctions in the Caribbean.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of ancient rice DNA, shedding light on the origins of domesticated rice species japonica and indica. The study suggests that indica rice was historically cultivated in East Asia or imported to the region, contradicting traditional assumptions about its exclusive presence in northern parts of East Asia.
A study published in PNAS found that high-altitude Himalayan populations have a remarkably stable genetic make-up despite cultural transitions and outside population exposure. The analysis suggests that these populations originated from East Asia, with genetic stability maintaining across millennia.
A pioneering study reveals how long-distance movements in ancient camel caravan routes shaped the species' genetic diversity. The research combined genetic information from 1,083 living dromedaries with ancient DNA sequences to create an historic genetic picture of the species.
New genetic data shows two major changes in prehistoric human populations, linked to the end of the last Ice Age. The data also reveal mixture with Neanderthals and evidence of natural selection removing Neanderthal ancestry.
A new DNA analysis suggests that North American mammoths interbred more frequently than previously thought, blurring the lines between species. The study found that woolly and Columbian mammoths could produce fertile offspring, contradicting historical notions of separate species.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide used ancient DNA to study the evolution of giant bears in both North and South America. The study found that these bears belonged to a distinct subfamily (Tremarctinae) and had independently evolved from small herbivorous bears.
A recent study published in Science Advances found a striking absence of pre-Columbian genetic lineages in modern Indigenous Americans, suggesting extinction with the arrival of Europeans. The research reconstructed ancient DNA from 92 pre-Columbian mummies and skeletons, revealing a separation that appeared as early as 9000 years ago.
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma and Arizona State University demonstrate that dental calculus can be used to recover high-quality genetic information from ancient humans. The study uses advanced sequencing technologies to extract DNA from six individuals, providing new insights into Native American archaeology.
Researchers successfully extracted ancient DNA from a southern African mummy, providing insights into past population dynamics. The analysis revealed genetic ties to the Sotho-Tswana and Khoesan communities, shedding light on the region's cultural heritage.
Researchers use ancient DNA to confirm that extinct glyptodonts were indeed enormous armadillos. The study reveals that these prehistoric creatures evolved from medium-sized forms to become true megafauna over millions of years.
Glyptodonts likely originated less than 35 million years ago from ancestors within modern armadillo families, contradicting previous assumptions. The close relatives of glyptodonts include giant armadillos and the four-ounce pink fairy armadillo, challenging existing concepts of their distinctiveness.
Researchers estimate that approximately one-third of British ancestors were Anglo-Saxon immigrants, who mixed with the native population. Genome sequences from ancient skeletons and modern-day DNA data reveal integrated communities and support a long-standing debate among historians and archaeologists.
A new study using ancient DNA and paleoclimate data found that rapid warming events played a greater role in the extinction of megafauna than human activity. The researchers analyzed DNA records over 50,000 years and compared them to climate event records from Greenland ice cores.
A new study based on Kennewick Man's genome sequence shows that he is more closely related to modern Native Americans than to any other population worldwide. This contradicts earlier cranial morphology analyses that suggested a European or Asian ancestry, sparking controversy and legal battles over the skeleton's repatriation.
A new study on Kennewick Man's DNA reveals a close genetic link to Native American populations, particularly the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington. The findings challenge a previous study that suggested a connection to indigenous Japanese or Polynesian peoples.
A new study has successfully detected epigenetic marks in 29 out of 30 ancient human remains from five North American archaeological sites, spanning over 4,500 years. The findings could provide insights into how past environments affected the physical traits and health of ancient populations.
Scientists successfully extracted DNA from Australia's extinct giant kangaroos, confirming their close relationship with modern macropods. The study also sheds light on the distinct lineage of short-faced kangaroos and highlights the importance of conservation for endangered species like the banded hare-wallaby.
International research confirms King Richard III's identity to 99.999% accuracy using DNA and genealogical study. The study also reveals his likely appearance, including almost certainly blue eyes and probably blond hair, as seen in the Arched-Frame Portrait.
Researchers used supercomputing simulations to analyze ancient DNA from a 24,000-year-old Siberian boy, revealing that modern Europeans are a mixture of three distinct ancestral populations. The study challenges the prevailing view that only two groups mixed in Europe between 7,000 and 8,000 years ago.
Scientists analyzed DNA from ancient European skulls and found that they were intolerant to lactose for 5,000 years after adopting agriculture. Major technological transitions in Central Europe were associated with changes in genetics of these populations.
A new study by Harvard Medical School and University of Tübingen reveals that present-day Europeans descend from three ancestral groups: Ancient North Eurasians, Basal Eurasians, and Near Eastern farmers. Genetic analysis found that Northern Europeans have more hunter-gatherer ancestry while Southern Europeans have more farmer ancestry.
A new study by the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA has solved a 150-year-old evolutionary mystery about the origins of giant flightless birds. The research found that the kiwi is most closely related to the extinct Madagascan elephant bird, contrary to previous claims.
A study analyzing ancient chicken DNA found that traits like yellow skin only became widespread in the last 500 years, contradicting previous assumptions about domestication. Researchers compared DNA from 81 ancient chickens to those of modern chickens, revealing significant genetic differences.
A study analyzing ancient DNA from over 250 radiocarbon-dated moa samples reveals that the iconic New Zealand bird was thriving when humans arrived, contradicting previous theories of population collapse before human arrival. The research suggests human activities contributed to the moa's extinction.
Researchers have identified genetic markers of original Polynesian chickens, tracing early movements and trading patterns across the Pacific. The study also found that these lineages survived on isolated Pacific islands despite European introduction.
A new statistical model has been developed to isolate ancient DNA from fossils contaminated with modern-day DNA. This method allows for the recovery of complete mitochondrial genomes from Neandertal and anatomically modern human bones, enabling scientists to study these individuals in detail.
Researchers have discovered a direct ancestral link between ancient human remains and Native American communities, revealing insights into the initial peopling of the Americas. By analyzing genomes of ancient and modern populations, scientists can reconstruct the evolutionary history and adaptations of early Americans.
A recent study reconstructed the first detailed genetic history of modern-day Europeans using ancient DNA from 364 prehistoric skeletons. The research found dramatic population changes with waves of migration from Western and Eastern Europe, contradicting previous assumptions about the Near East's role in shaping European genetics.
A team of researchers from the University of Manchester used next generation sequencing techniques to analyze sub-fossilized insects in copal and found no evidence of ancient DNA. The study suggests that DNA survival in resin inclusions is unlikely, raising doubts about claims of DNA extraction from fossil insects in amber.