Read the latest positive news, breakthroughs, and inspiring stories about ancient dna, curated daily by BrightWire.
Scientists discovered ancient DNA of a livestock virus hidden in the pages of a medieval gospel book, unlocking secrets about how diseases have evolved over thousands of years. The find could help protect farms today.
Researchers successfully recovered ancient DNA from antelope fossils up to 50,000 years old in South Africa, achieving what was thought nearly impossible in warm climates. This breakthrough opens new doors to understanding extinct African species and protecting today's wildlife.
Every person alive today carries DNA from mysterious ancient human relatives who vanished hundreds of thousands of years ago. New research reveals traces of two unknown lineages hidden in our genes, rewriting the story of who we are.
Researchers discovered traces of two extinct human populations hidden in modern genomes, including a "super-archaic" lineage dating back nearly 2 million years. One ghost ancestor left DNA in all people alive today.
Frozen droppings from prehistoric squirrels in Canada's Yukon have revealed DNA from woolly mammoths, ancient big cats, and dozens of other ice age creatures. The 700,000-year-old genetic material ranks among the oldest DNA ever recovered, offering scientists an extraordinary window into ancient life.
Scientists discovered a treasure trove of ancient DNA, including from woolly mammoths, perfectly preserved in frozen squirrel droppings in Canada's Yukon. The findings offer an unprecedented window into how life evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.
Scientists in Canada's Yukon discovered a treasure trove of DNA up to 700,000 years old preserved in frozen squirrel droppings. The genetic material from woolly mammoths, wolves, and hundreds of plants offers an unprecedented window into Earth's ancient past.
New DNA evidence shows prehistoric women carried farming knowledge into hunter-gatherer communities through marriage, reshaping Europe's history. Scientists traced genetic patterns across 7,000 years to reveal how cultures blended through family bonds, not conquest.
Scientists just proved that Homo erectus, our ancient ancestor from nearly 2 million years ago, isn't an evolutionary dead end after all. Proteins from 400,000-year-old teeth reveal genetic traces that survive in millions of people living today across Asia and the Pacific.
Scientists discovered that Homo erectus, once thought extinct without descendants, passed genes to people living today. Ancient tooth proteins reveal a 400,000-year-old genetic thread connecting our most distant ancestors to modern Southeast Asians.
Researchers solved a mystery that has stumped archaeologists for decades by matching ancient paintings at a Kenyan rock shelter to specific communities using DNA evidence. The discovery reveals nearly 9,000 years of human history painted on a single rock wall.
Scientists have discovered genetic evidence of a Neanderthal community living together in Poland 100,000 years ago, including what may be close relatives. This rare snapshot shows how our ancient cousins lived as groups across Europe.