Ancient DNA from Lake Baikal burial sites in Siberia reveals the earliest known traces of plague, dating back 5,500 years, among hunter-gatherers, pushing back the history of the disease and raising questions about its spread in prehistoric populations.
Ancient DNA from Siberian hunter-gatherer remains reveals plague outbreaks began 5,500 years ago, at least two centuries after Yersinia pestis emerged. The disease devastated sparse communities, with children making up at least two-thirds of the dead at some cemeteries.
DNA from 2,000-year-old grape seeds in Tuscany shows Roman-era vineyards were part of a sophisticated agricultural network. Research revealed white grapes dominated the Chianti site, contrary to today's red wine fame, suggesting continuity from Etruscans to Romans.
Research published in Nature examining DNA from Moroccan archaeological sites dating back over 7,400 years has revealed that agriculture in the Maghreb developed through three distinct ancestral components. European farmers crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, indigenous foragers adopted farming techniques while maintaining genetic isolation, and Levantine pastoralists arrived later via the Green Sahara corridor. This genetic blend underpins modern Maghrebi populations, including the Imazighen (Berbers), with the fundamental biological roots established during the African Humid Period.
Researchers using ancient DNA (sedaDNA) analysis have discovered that Doggerland, a sunken landscape beneath the North Sea, hosted lush temperate forests of oak, elm and hazel at least 16,000 years ago—thousands of years earlier than previously thought. The study published in PNAS analyzed 252 sediment samples from 41 marine cores and found DNA from Pterocarya (walnut family) species 400,000 years older than their known extinction date, indicating isolated microrefugia allowed species to persist far longer. The findings suggest Doggerland was a significant refuge for plants, animals and early humans during the last Ice Age, with some parts remaining habitable until 7,000 years ago.
Researchers have reconstructed what appears to be the oldest Neanderthal population in Central-Eastern Europe using DNA from a tooth found in Stajnia Cave, Poland. The mitochondrial DNA analysis, published in Scientific Reports, reveals genetic connections between Neanderthals in Central Europe and the Caucasus region, proving these ancient humans migrated and maintained contact across large territories rather than living in isolated communities.
