Ancient DNA unveils disparate fates of Ice Age hunter-gatherers in Europe

Ice sheets expanded across much of northern Europe from around 25,000 to 19,000 years ago, making a huge expanse of land unlivable. That harsh event set in motion a previously unrecognized tale of two human populations that played out at opposite ends of the continent.

Western European hunter-gatherers outlasted the icy blast in the past. Easterners got replaced by migrations of newcomers.

That’s the implication of the largest study to date of ancient Europeans’ DNA, covering a period before, during and after what’s known as the Last Glacial Maximum, paleogeneticist Cosimo Posth and colleagues report March 1 in Nature.

Science News headlines, in your inbox

Headlines and

→ Continue reading at Science News

More from author

Related posts

Advertisment

Latest posts

It’s Near-Impossible to Snag a Reservation at This VIP-Filled Italian Restaurant — But Now It’s Dropping a Merch Line for All Red Sauce Lovers

Rao's Homemade wants its customers to be comfortable while eating comfort foods this winter.The Italian food brand is releasing a limited-edition velour tracksuit inspired...

‘If you have a face, you have a place in the conversation about AI,’ expert says

Enlarge this image Penguin Random House ...

5 Types of Professional Losses Companies Commonly Face — and How to Mitigate Each One

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the complex world of business, companies often face various forms of professional loss...