6,000-year-old mystery skeletons could rewrite human history
A collection of 6,000-year-old skeletons have been discovered in Colombia that do not match any indigenous human population in the region.
Archaeologists believe the remains of hunter gatherers, discovered at theChecua site near the country's capital of Bogotá, could shine a fresh light on human history.
Analysis of DNA of the 21 skeletons which date from 500 to 6,000 years ago has helped piece together how the unique genetic structure of the earliest beings to live in South America disappeared from later populations.
Seven of the specimans were from the Checua period, while nine were from the later Herrera period around 2,000 years ago.
A further three remains dated from the Muisca period, around 1,200 to 500 years and the last two were around 530 years old and from the Guane populations north of Bogotá.
The study has found that the Checuan individuals did not share genetic with any other ancient groups, either in surrounding countries such as Brazil or Chile, or in North America.
Lead author and PhD student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany, Kim-Louise Krettek, said that the findings show that there was a complete exchange in population in the Bogotá Altiplano highlands around 2,000 years ago.
The Checua population was entirely replaced by those with DNA resembling ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups from Costa Rica and Panama.
Scholars still debate when the first humans arrived in South America, with evidence of life in Monte Verde II, iChile, as far back as 14,550 years ago.
The new arrivals in the Bogotá Altiplano marked the beginning of the Herrera period around 2,800 years ago, with the tradition known for farming and pottery.
Andrea Casas-Vargas, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and co-author of the study, said the complete erasure of a unique genetic lineage is rare in South America, where DNA continuity has been observed over long periods of time.
She added that branches of the languages spoken by the immigrant Central American population who replaced the Checuans remain in use.
But researchers believe the population change came about gradually by migration and cultural exchange rather than a military invasion, MailOnline reported.
Further unknown populations may remain undiscovered and unexcavated, scientists believe, with the latest breakthrough possibly just the tip of the iceberg.
Surrounding areas such as western Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela have yet to be genetically analysed. More Trending
'Questions about history and origins touch upon a sensitive area of the self-perception and identity of the Indigenous population', said Professor Cosimo Prosth.
As technology and research advances, more information is being uncovered about human history.
In Indonesia, fragments of a human ancestor's skull dating back to 140,000 years were discovered among the sea floor.
The skull fossil belonging to the Homo erectrus revealed that the human predecessor might have co-existed along its modern human relatives longer than has been thought.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Colombian presidential candidate 'fighting for life' after being shot in the head
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MORE: Scientists reveal truth behind 'UFO' spotted in major city with 'cryptic message'
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Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
6,000-year-old mystery skeletons could rewrite human history
A collection of 6,000-year-old skeletons have been discovered in Colombia that do not match any indigenous human population in the region. Archaeologists believe the remains of hunter gatherers, discovered at theChecua site near the country's capital of Bogotá, could shine a fresh light on human history. Analysis of DNA of the 21 skeletons which date from 500 to 6,000 years ago has helped piece together how the unique genetic structure of the earliest beings to live in South America disappeared from later populations. Seven of the specimans were from the Checua period, while nine were from the later Herrera period around 2,000 years ago. A further three remains dated from the Muisca period, around 1,200 to 500 years and the last two were around 530 years old and from the Guane populations north of Bogotá. The study has found that the Checuan individuals did not share genetic with any other ancient groups, either in surrounding countries such as Brazil or Chile, or in North America. Lead author and PhD student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany, Kim-Louise Krettek, said that the findings show that there was a complete exchange in population in the Bogotá Altiplano highlands around 2,000 years ago. The Checua population was entirely replaced by those with DNA resembling ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups from Costa Rica and Panama. Scholars still debate when the first humans arrived in South America, with evidence of life in Monte Verde II, iChile, as far back as 14,550 years ago. The new arrivals in the Bogotá Altiplano marked the beginning of the Herrera period around 2,800 years ago, with the tradition known for farming and pottery. Andrea Casas-Vargas, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and co-author of the study, said the complete erasure of a unique genetic lineage is rare in South America, where DNA continuity has been observed over long periods of time. She added that branches of the languages spoken by the immigrant Central American population who replaced the Checuans remain in use. But researchers believe the population change came about gradually by migration and cultural exchange rather than a military invasion, MailOnline reported. Further unknown populations may remain undiscovered and unexcavated, scientists believe, with the latest breakthrough possibly just the tip of the iceberg. Surrounding areas such as western Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela have yet to be genetically analysed. More Trending 'Questions about history and origins touch upon a sensitive area of the self-perception and identity of the Indigenous population', said Professor Cosimo Prosth. As technology and research advances, more information is being uncovered about human history. In Indonesia, fragments of a human ancestor's skull dating back to 140,000 years were discovered among the sea floor. The skull fossil belonging to the Homo erectrus revealed that the human predecessor might have co-existed along its modern human relatives longer than has been thought. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Colombian presidential candidate 'fighting for life' after being shot in the head MORE: Network of Victorian tunnels discovered under massive Surrey sinkhole MORE: Scientists reveal truth behind 'UFO' spotted in major city with 'cryptic message'
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mysterious 6,000-year-old skeletons with never-before-seen DNA rewrites human history
Archaeologists have uncovered 6,000-year-old skeletons in Colombia that belonged to a mysterious group of people that could rewrite human history. The remains, discovered at the ancient preceramic site of Checua near Bogotá, were of hunter-gatherers whose DNA does not match that of any known Indigenous population in the region today. Instead, their genetic signature reveals a distinct and now-extinct lineage that may have descended from the earliest humans to reach South America, one that diverged early and remained genetically isolated for thousands of years. By analyzing ancient DNA from 21 individuals who lived in the Bogotá Altiplano between 6,000 and 500 years ago, researchers reconstructed a rare genetic timeline spanning nearly six millennia. The DNA samples, extracted from bones and teeth, show that the oldest individuals at Checua carried a unique ancestral signature that has completely vanished from the modern gene pool. Their lineage didn't simply blend into others, but it disappeared entirely. 'This area is key to understanding how the Americas were populated,' said Kim-Louise Krettek, lead author and a Ph.D. student at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution in Germany. 'It was the land bridge between North and South America and the meeting point of three major cultural regions: Mesoamerica, Amazonia, and the Andes.' Genetically, these early people were not related to other ancient groups in South America, such as those found in Chile or Brazil, nor did they share ancestry with early North American populations, including those from California's Channel Islands. The study also offers new insights into the so-called Isthmo-Colombian area, a cultural and genetic transition zone that stretches from Honduras through Panama and into the northern Andes of Colombia. 'Our results show that the Checua individuals derive from the earliest population that spread and differentiated across South America very rapidly,' explained Kim-Louise Krettek, the study's first author and a Ph.D. student at the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution in Germany. 'We couldn't find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers of the Colombian high plains, the genes were not passed on. 'That means in the area around Bogotá there was a complete exchange of the population.' Around 2,000 years ago, the genetic landscape of the Bogotá highlands changed dramatically. The unique lineage found in the earliest Checua remains disappeared, replaced by a new population with DNA closely resembling that of ancient Panamanians and modern Chibchan-speaking groups in Costa Rica and Panama. Andrea Casas-Vargas, co-author and researcher at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, said genetic evidence suggests the culture that followed in the Altiplano arrived with migrants from Central America. Along with technological advances like ceramics, these migrants likely introduced the Chibchan languages to what is now Colombia. 'Branches of this language family are still spoken in Central America today,' Casas-Vargas said. She also noted that the complete disappearance of the original population's genetic traces is rare in South America. 'Up to now, strong genetic continuity has been observed in the population of the Andes and the southern cone of South America over long time periods and cultural changes,' she said. These new arrivals are connected to Central America and show that the population of the Bogotá highlands changed significantly over time. They brought with them the Herrera tradition, a culture known for its pottery and early farming. Their descendants helped shape the Muisca civilization, which dominated the region until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. But the shift didn't come with signs of war or invasion. Archaeologists found no evidence of violence. Instead, the change may have come gradually through migration, cultural exchange, or intermarriage. Over time, the Checua people's unique DNA faded, diluted and eventually erased. Scientists analyzed both maternal DNA and broader markers to trace ancestry. While Checua males carried a common Native American Y-DNA signature (Q1b1a), the rest of their genetic profile showed deep isolation and no link to later populations. Later groups who lived on the plateau had stronger ties to Venezuela and Central America, suggesting the region eventually became part of a larger network stretching across the northern part of the continent. Even though Chibchan languages are still spoken in Costa Rica, Panama, and northern Colombia, today's Indigenous Colombians are not directly descended from the Checua or even from the early Chibchan-linked Herrera people. Professor Cosimo Posth emphasized the importance of distinguishing genetics from culture: 'Questions about history and origins touch upon a sensitive area of the self-perception and identity of the Indigenous population. 'The genetic disposition must not be viewed as equal to cultural identity.' He added that the research team engaged with the Guardia Indígena Muisca, the living descendants of the Muisca culture in the high plains of Bogotá, to respect and incorporate community-based knowledge. 'As scientists addressing questions relevant to the Indigenous communities in Colombia, we respect and value the wealth of community-based knowledge.' This research marks Colombia's first look at ancient DNA, and scientists believe it's just the beginning. Many surrounding regions like western Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador have never been genetically analyzed. They could hold more clues about the waves of people who helped shape the continent. Scientists say this is just the beginning. Since this marks Colombia's first ancient genomic dataset, many unsampled and potentially unknown populations may still lie hidden beneath the soil. 'Ancient DNA from those areas will be crucial in understanding how humans migrated into South America,' Krettek said.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Map reveals most polluted cities in the world, as fumes are linked to surge in lung and colon cancer...how does your area fair?
The global air pollution crisis was today laid bare in an interactive map revealing the catastrophic levels of toxic fumes in some regions—including parts of the UK. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long demanded countries take tougher action to combat the scourge of pollution, which is thought to kill 7million people every year globally. In a fresh study tracking more than 13,000 urban areas worldwide, US researchers used satellite data and computer models to measure the amount of harmful carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Average levels of three pollutants close to residential areas were also assessed over 14 years. These included particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). Exposure to all four has been linked to increased risk of a host of deadly diseases, including lung and colon cancer, as well as heart disease and dementia. The particles, emitted by car exhausts and wood-burning stoves, can be so small they are invisible to the naked eye, yet travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream. Now the numbers — packaged into an interactive tool by MailOnline — allow you to see how many particles are released on average depending on where you live in the UK. The interactive global map can also be accessed here. According to the latest 2019 figures collected by the scientists, in the UK the East of England fared worst for PM2.5—which can lodge in the heart, brain and other organs. Ipswich in Suffolk took top spot with 15.88 parts per billion (ppb), followed only by Basildon and Southend, both in Essex, reporting rates of 15.81 and 15.79 respectively. Cambridge and Chelmsford also recorded levels at 15.52 and 15.36. By comparison, Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Greenock, in western Scotland, reported the lowest rates of 6.36 and 7.33 ppb. Research has long indicated PM2.5 can promote the growth of cancer-causing cells in the lungs and colon. On 2022 study by scientists at University College London revealed around 300,000 lung cancer deaths were attributed to PM2.5 exposure in 2019. Another, published last year by Chinese researchers also found just a 5 μg/m3 or 2.83 ppb increase in PM2.5 exposure could increase the risk of colon cancer by 27 per cent. But many other of its heath effects are still to be discovered. O3, meanwhile, is created by reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, both emitted by vehicles and industrial processes. At ground level, ozone causes a smoggy haze typically seen in cities and can cause breathing problems, especially for vulnerable people who suffer from lung diseases such as asthma. Hereford and Folkestone in Kent recorded the highest O3 levels in the country, at 37.96 and 37.94 ppb respectively. York, in contrast, ranked lowest at 24.08. Under WHO guidelines, O3 levels should not exceed roughly 47 ppb over an 8-hour period. London was the highest CO2 emitter, the figures also suggested—exceeding recommended guidelines—and the only part of the UK to hit the CO2 red zone. Newcastle and Chatham, meanwhile, ranked highest for NO2 levels, at 11.75 and 11.42ppb emitted. London and Peterborough followed with 11.33 and 11.03ppb respectively. NO2 has been found to trigger respiratory problems that can cause hospital and emergency department admissions, such as asthma and symptoms including coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. UK laws currently state hourly levels of toxic NO2 must not exceed the threshold of roughly 21ppb, more than 18 times a year. Globally, O3 levels increased 6 per cent between 2005 and 2019, the researchers found. However, PM2.5 and NO2 showed 'little to no overall change'. The highest levels of PM2.5 were found in India, with Indian cities double the global average ppb levels. 'Highly polluted PM2.5 clusters' were also observed in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and China, the researchers said. Urban areas with the highest NO2 levels—exceeding 12.1 ppb—were also primarily in 'China and high-income countries'. Similar to PM2.5, cities in India also recorded the highest levels of O3—averaging 66.7 ppb—almost a third (30 per cent) higher than the global average (51.2 ppb). South Asia—largely due to India—and China had higher levels of PM2.5 and O3 concentrations compared to other regions, the scientists said. Professor Susan Anenberg, an expert in environmental and occupational health at George Washington University and study co-author also added: 'This study provides a powerful snapshot of how urban environments are evolving across the globe. 'It also shows that progress is possible but uneven, with some cities seeing worsening pollution while others are experiencing cleaner air over time.' Writing in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, however, the scientists noted the research had 'some limitations'. While the study incorporated 'state-of-the-art methods to improve the accuracy of measurements', the data may 'still contain errors due to insufficient input data, incorrect model processes, and erroneous emission data', they said.
