The Revolution of Ancient DNA—What Does Genetics Tell Us About the Past?

Abstract

DNA is a central component in the cells of all living organisms, which contains information that is critical for building the body and maintaining its biological processes. Today, owing to new technological developments, scientists can obtain DNA directly from remains of humans and other organisms that died a long time ago. The ability to read ancient DNA allows us to learn new facts about the lives of the ancients, to study genetic changes that shaped present-day organisms, and to get new insights on fascinating evolutionary questions. For example, how did the Neanderthals evolve, and why did mammoths go extinct. Owing to ancient DNA, a mysterious group of archaic humans was discovered, although almost nothing is known about their appearance. Additional important information can be revealed by looking at epigenetics, which are mechanisms that affect the way genes work. For example, through epigenetics we identified fascinating changes in the structure of the voice box (formally called larynx) of modern humans, which possibly allowed us to produce rich sounds and develop a complex language. The ancient DNA revolution provides us with new tools to learn about event that happened many years ago.