News 2016

Archaeological and genetic research about the timing and process of the colonization of theAmericas has revealed an early colonization 15,000-20,000 years ago followed bya “Beringian standstill”, and subsequent expansion from the North as well as alater expansion of Inuit-Aleut peoples. Ancient DNA analyses have contributed toour understanding of this process using first mitochondrial DNA and more recentlynuclear DNA data. more

For the first time, scientists have succeeded to fully reconstruct a genome of the Justinianic Plague causative pathogen, Yersinia pestis, from a skeleton of a victim excavated 50 years ago in Altenerding, Southern Germany. more

An international team of researchers led by Hélène Rougier with participation of scientists of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History presents the first case of Neandertal cannibalism in Northern Europe and the first example of multiple Neandertal bones used as tools from a single site. more

Researchers paint a genetic portrait of Ice Age Europe

Fu, Q.; Posth, C.; Hajdinjak, M.; Petr, M.; Mallick, S.; Fernandes , D.; Furtwängler , A.; Haak, W.; Meyer, M.; Mittnik, A. et al.:  The genetic history of Ice Age Europe. Nature 534 (7606), pp. 200-205 (2016)

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Up to now, the dispersal of modern humans outside of Africa is a highly debated topic both in terms of the number of major expansions and their timing. An international team of researchers retrieved DNA from 35 ancient hunter-gatherers spanning almost 30,000 years of European pre-history.

Historical pathogens survived for more than four centuries in Europe

Bos, K.; Herbig, A.; Sahl, J.; Waglechner, N.; Fourment, M.; Forrest, S. A.; Klunk, J.; Schuenemann, V. J.; Poinar, D.; Kuch, M. et al.: Eighteenth century Yersinia pestis genomes reveal the long-term persistence of an historical plague focus.