Johannes Krause: Die Reise unserer Gene

The relatively new science of archaeogenetics deals with the extraction and analysis of genetic material from archaeological finds such as bones and teeth. This makes it possible, for example, to reconstruct events in human history from prehistoric skeletons that often remain hidden from archaeologists and historians. In particular, the connection between migration and epochal transitions in prehistoric times can only be investigated to a limited extent using grave goods and other archaeological artifacts. For many years, it has been debated whether the transition from hunter-gatherers to early farmers at the beginning of the Neolithic period in Europe was related to immigration from the Near East, or whether it involved the cultural transmission of innovative techniques and domesticated animals and plants. To get to the bottom of such questions, archaeogeneticists have conducted genome-wide analyses of thousands of prehistoric individuals, including Ötzi the Iceman. These studies have shown that the settlement history of Europe since the Ice Age has been characterized by numerous migrations – both into and out of Europe. The interbreeding that accompanies this has left traces all the way to the West Eurasians living today. Archaeogenetics now allows us to genetically trace certain diseases, traits such as skin, hair, and eye color, as well as other adaptations, back thousands of years. Professor Dr. Johannes Krause from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History will present archaeogenetics in his lecture as part of the "Science for Everyone" series.