Categories: Genetics

Harvard Medical School’s Study of the Genetic Origins of Europeans

Thanks to latest technologies, the researchers from Harvard Medical School (HMS) were able to investigate theories of ancient population migrations. Complex DNA analyses now allow scientists to decipher the past of humanity hidden in the DNA of bones found in ancient tombs and graves.

Although genetic data becomes increasingly damaged as the time goes on, new techniques allow researchers to “read” the DNA of the most ancient remains, which gives us more and more answers.

In one of their latest studies, HMS received new data pointing at the place of origins of modern language families. Apparently, an ancient civilization inhabiting the territory between the Black and Caspian Seas spoke a language that would later become the base of English, German, Russian, Hindi, and a number of other languages. That ancient civilization additionally greatly contributed to the genetic profile of modern Europeans and Native Americans.

In conclusion, geneticists from HMS and Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT described the evolved techniques used in their research.

You can familiarize yourself with the results of the study here: news.harvard.edu

We would like to note that a number of recent genetic analyses identify the Armenian Highlands as the cradle of civilization in any regard. This fact yet generally remains unknown because of political reasons of a number of powers calling the Armenian Highlands either Transcaucasia, South Caucasus, or Eastern Anatolia.

But let’s not forget that such discoveries are interesting from a scientific point of view in the first place rather than political.

See more: Category Genetics

During ìWhatís New in Genomic Archaeology? The Peopling of Europe from ancient and modern DNA,î Michael McCormick, (host) Francis Goelet Professor of Medieval History Chair, Steering Committee for the Science of the Human Past speaks in the Yenching Auditorium at Harvard University. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer THIS  news.harvard.edu

Vigen Avetisyan

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