Ancient DNA studies have moved on from finding out about amazingly old individuals. The latest thing is to sequence entire groups of humans who have been dead for centuries or even many millennia, and derive their family relations. A recent study of neolithic burial has set the record with a family tree connecting more than 60 individuals.
I used this as an occasion to round up a few other examples of family histories revealed by sequencing ancient DNA and to argue that, like ordinary family history, this is a way of unveiling the human histories that for one reason or another have remained hidden. My feature is out now:
Hidden histories
Current Biology Volume 33, Issue 18, 25. September 2023, Pages R931-R934
FREE access to full text and PDF download
See also my Mastodon thread where I highlighted all CB features of 2023.
I'm not on Instagram myself, but I believe if you follow CurrentBiology there, you'll find my features highlighted there as well.
Based on ancient DNA sequenced from 64 individuals buried at Gurgy, northern France, researchers have constructed the largest ever family tree of prehistoric people. The portraits are artistic impressions incorporating some details derived from the genome information. (Painting: © Elena Plain; reproduced with the permission of the University of Bordeaux/PACEA.)
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