ancient DNA
Fossil genetic material
Ancient DNA is genetic material recovered from organisms that died long ago—extracted from bones, teeth, preserved tissue, or other remains.
Scientists analyze ancient DNA to trace human migration, study extinct species, and understand evolutionary history.
The field revolutionized our knowledge of Neanderthals and early human populations.
Also abbreviated aDNA.
- toothCalcified jaw structure
- boneHard skeletal tissue
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- cave bearExtinct large ursid species
- woolly mammothExtinct hairy elephant species
hair · sediment · sequencing · coprolite · permafrost · contamination · degradation · Neanderthal · mummy · ethical concerns · genome · phylogenetics · soil · archaeology · radiocarbon dating · Ice Age · amber · gene flow
- prehistorystone tools, Neolithic, Stone Age, caveman, cavemen
- De-extinctionwoolly mammoth, dodo, passenger pigeon, thylacine, Tasmanian tiger
- DNA ancestryancestry test, genetic genealogy, haplogroup, genetic match, ethnic origins
- Prehistoric Americamammoth, mastodon, dire wolf, megafauna, Paleo-Indians
- Archaeogeneticsbone samples, tooth enamel, hair samples, skeletal remains, burial sites
- Arctic PrehistoryThule culture, microblades, harpoons, stone tools, bone tools