Sediment DNA can revolutionize archaeology—if it is used the right way
More On Article
- SpecieScan: semi-automated taxonomic identification of bone collagen peptides from MALDI-ToF-MS
- HEAS member Gerhard Weber starts a new FWF Project to study the 3D morphology of human postcanine teeth
- Gradual exacerbation of obstetric constraints during hominoid evolution implied by re-evaluation of cephalopelvic fit in chimpanzees
- 20th anniversary of the Laboratory for scanning electron microscopy at the Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS), University Vienna, 14.11.2024, 15:00
- Datenkontrolle, -aufbereitung und -auswertung portabler Röntgenfluoreszenzanalysen (p-RFA) mit dem Bruker Tracer 5i No 900F398 an silikatischem Material des Brandopferplatzes bei Farchant, Lkr. Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Aldeias, V., Stahlschmidt, M.C., 2024. Sediment DNA can revolutionize archaeology—if it is used the right way. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121, e2317042121.
The possibility of fingerprinting ancient organisms using the DNA they leave behind is a revolution in our understanding of the past. Paleogenetic studies are rewriting our knowledge on ancient hominin genomes, hominin dispersals, interbreeding events, and ancient DNA is also a key tool in biodiversity monitoring efforts. Of particular interest: We can now retrieve DNA directly from sediments and soils (sedaDNA) (1–3) in a variety of modern and past depositional environments, including permafrost, lakes, marine sediments, or caves settings.