Massive Ancient-DNA Study Reveals Natural Selection Has Accelerated in Recent Human Evolution

stylised image of dna strands
Image: KrulUA/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Reporter: Stephanie Dutchen

Published: April 15, 2026

Link: Full Text
 

At a Glance:

  • Applying new analytic methods to nearly 16,000 ancient genomes reveals natural selection has acted on hundreds, not dozens, of genes in West Eurasia over the last 10,000 years.
  • More than half of the genes have known links to disease risk and other traits today, although it’s not yet clear what made each gene advantageous in prehistoric contexts.
  • The work demonstrates the power of ancient DNA to illuminate human biology and medicine in addition to history.

 

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