NYT SCIENCE: Ancient DNA Reveals History of Hunter-Gatherers in Europe
By Carl Zimmer
Section: Science
Source: New York Times
Published Date: March 1, 2023 at 02:00AM
Over the past decade, geneticists have added a new dimension to that history by extracting DNA from teeth and bones.
And now, in a pair of studies published on Wednesday, researchers have produced the most robust analysis yet of the genetic record of prehistoric Europe.
Looking at DNA gleaned from the remains of 357 ancient Europeans, researchers discovered that several waves of hunter-gatherers migrated into Europe. The studies identified at least eight populations, some more genetically distinct from each other than modern-day Europeans and Asians. They coexisted in Europe for thousands of years, apparently trading tools and sharing cultures. Some groups survived the Ice Age, while others vanished, perhaps wiped out by other groups.
“We are finally understanding the dynamics of European hunter-gatherers,” said Vanessa Villalba-Mouco, a paleogeneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and an author of both studies.
By Carl Zimmer
Section: Science
Source: New York Times
Published Date: March 1, 2023 at 02:00AM
Looking at DNA gleaned from ancient remains, researchers identified at least eight previously unknown populations of early Europeans.
In the 1800s, archaeologists began reconstructing the deep history of Europe from the bones of ancient hunter-gatherers and the iconic art they left behind, like cave paintings, fertility figurines and “lion-man” statues.Over the past decade, geneticists have added a new dimension to that history by extracting DNA from teeth and bones.
And now, in a pair of studies published on Wednesday, researchers have produced the most robust analysis yet of the genetic record of prehistoric Europe.
Looking at DNA gleaned from the remains of 357 ancient Europeans, researchers discovered that several waves of hunter-gatherers migrated into Europe. The studies identified at least eight populations, some more genetically distinct from each other than modern-day Europeans and Asians. They coexisted in Europe for thousands of years, apparently trading tools and sharing cultures. Some groups survived the Ice Age, while others vanished, perhaps wiped out by other groups.
“We are finally understanding the dynamics of European hunter-gatherers,” said Vanessa Villalba-Mouco, a paleogeneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and an author of both studies.
Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/01/science/dna-hunter-gatherers-europe.html
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