E. Willerslev

A 20+ Ma old enamel proteome from Canada's High Arctic reveals diversification of Rhinocerotidae in the middle Eocene-Oligocene

This paper retrieves ancient enamel protein sequences from a 21-24 Ma rhinocerotid, providing new phylogenetic insights into Rhinocerotidae diversification during the middle Eocene-Oligocene.

The spatiotemporal distribution of human pathogens in ancient Eurasia and the emergence of zoonotic diseases

The paper maps ancient pathogens in Eurasia, showing zoonotic diseases emerged with livestock domestication and spread with pastoralist migrations.

Two-million-year-old microbial communities from the Kap Kobenhavn Formation in North Greenland

This paper reconstructs microbial communities from 2-million-year-old permafrost in Greenland, finding similarities to modern thawing permafrost microbes and suggesting microbial communities may signal climate change impacts before plants and animals.

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis originated in Steppe Pastoralist populations

This study identifies the origin of genetic risk variants for multiple sclerosis in Steppe pastoralist populations and traces their spread into Europe through migration.

The Selection Landscape and Genetic Legacy of Ancient Eurasians

This study models ancient Eurasian selection landscapes and shows ancestry-specific genetic risk associations with modern phenotypes.

Late Pleistocene palaeoecology and phylogeography of woolly rhinoceroses

This study combines stable isotopes and ancient DNA to analyze the ecological flexibility and phylogeography of woolly rhinoceroses during the Late Pleistocene, revealing environmental influences on their survival.

The Ancient DNA Insights into Aboriginal Australian Mortuary Practices

This paper uses ancient DNA analysis to study mortuary practices of Aboriginal Australians, finding that burial location may reflect geographic origin rather than social status.

Multi-proxy analyses of a mid-15th century Middle Iron Age Bantu-speaker palaeo-faecal specimen elucidates the configuration of the ancestral sub-Saharan African intestinal microbiome

The paper analyzes a mid-15th century Bantu-speaker faecal specimen to understand the ancestral sub-Saharan African intestinal microbiome and its response to dietary and environmental changes.

Mitogenomic Diversity in Sacred Ibis Mummies sheds light on early Egyptian practices

The paper analyzes mitochondrial genomes of Sacred Ibis mummies to determine how ancient Egyptians obtained birds for mummification, finding high genetic diversity suggesting wild taming rather than centralized farming.

Using environmental DNA for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni: toward improved environmental surveillance of schistosomiasis

This paper develops an environmental DNA (eDNA) method to detect Schistosoma mansoni in freshwater, showing higher sensitivity than traditional snail surveys in both lab and field tests.

Modern wolves trace their origin to a late Pleistocene expansion from Beringia

This study traces the origin of modern wolves to a late Pleistocene expansion from Beringia, using ancient mitochondrial genomes and spatial-temporal modeling.

Extensive farming in Estonia started through a sex-biased migration from the Steppe

The paper analyzes genome data from Estonian hunter-gatherers and farmers to show that farming in Estonia began with a sex-biased migration from the Steppe involving admixture with Anatolian farmers.