Latest news with #Gusareva
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Were the first Americans actually Russians? New study traces indigenous roots to Siberia
A groundbreaking genetic study published on May 15 in the journal Science suggests that the first people to colonize the Americas migrated from what is now Russia between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago. The research offers fresh insight into how modern Indigenous communities in South America trace their ancestry to these early settlers. Led by Elena Gusareva of Nanyang Technological University, the study reveals that ancient migrants from northern Eurasia crossed into the Americas via the Bering Land Bridge during the last Ice Age. Over time, these early settlers split into distinct groups and became isolated in diverse environments, leading to the formation of the Indigenous populations seen across South America today. 'This fills critical gaps in our understanding of how today's South American populations came to be,' said Gusareva. 'These genomes carry deep insights into the earliest human history in the region.' 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo Mapping the Ancient Journey Researchers analyzed the genomes of 1,537 individuals from 139 ethnic groups across northern Eurasia and the Americas. They compared modern DNA samples with ancient genetic material from the first Americans , tracing how these populations migrated, adapted, and evolved. Their findings suggest that Indigenous Americans share deep genetic roots with west Beringian groups such as the Inuit, Koryaks, and Luoravetlans. These communities lived in Beringia, a now-submerged landmass that once connected Siberia and Alaska. Live Events Francisco Javier Aceituno, an archaeologist at the University of Antioquia in Colombia who was not involved in the study, said the timeline aligns well with archaeological evidence showing a divergence between North Eurasians and early Americans around 19,000 to 27,000 years ago. The Birth of South America's Indigenous Groups After arriving in South America, early settlers gradually split into four main cultural and genetic groups: Amazonian, Andean, Chaco Amerindian, and Patagonian. These groups adapted to their unique environments, from tropical rainforests to mountainous highlands. Gusareva notes that natural barriers such as the Amazon and the Andes likely contributed to the isolation of these populations. 'Their genetic makeup became more homogenous over time — similar to what we see in isolated island communities,' she said. Aceituno added that the divisions may also have been driven by the need to expand territory, form new family units, and avoid inbreeding among hunter-gatherers. Ancient DNA, Modern Health The study didn't just explore ancestry—it also examined how ancient genetic adaptations continue to affect modern health. For example, Andean highlanders carry a mutation in the EPAS1 gene, which helps their bodies produce more red blood cells in low-oxygen environments — the same mutation is seen in Tibetans. More than 70 other gene variations were identified that could influence how Indigenous groups respond to infections and medications. Previous research has already shown that some Indigenous Brazilians react differently to drugs for blood clots or cholesterol due to unique genetic traits. 'These populations are already small and vulnerable,' said co-author Hie Lim Kim. 'It's crucial to tailor healthcare and disease prevention strategies to their specific genetic needs.' Preserving Ancestral Legacies Beyond the science, the study also aims to preserve the history of underrepresented Indigenous communities. One example is the Kawesqar people of Patagonia, whose population and 6,000-year-old cultural heritage are at risk of vanishing. 'For many participants, uncovering their ancestral roots was deeply personal,' Gusareva said. 'This genetic record may be one of the last chances to preserve their legacy.'
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
DNA study 'fills gaps' in Indigenous Americans' ancestry
DNA study 'fills gaps' in Indigenous Americans' ancestry (Pic credit: IANS) A new genetic study has traced prehistoric human migration from Asia to North and South America. The findings are helping underrepresented Indigenous groups understand their ancestral origins. The first people to colonize the Americas migrated from modern-day Russia about 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, a new study has found. Published on May 15 in the journal Science, the study suggests the languages and traditions of Indigenous groups living in the Americas today can be traced back to these early settlers. Traces of their cultures exist in the genes of modern Indigenous groups. The study also found that the early settlers split into groups that became isolated in different environmental settings. The findings provide a new genetic and cultural understanding of present-day South American communities, said the researchers. "[It fills] key gaps in our understanding of how the diverse populations of present-day South America came to be," said Elena Gusareva, the study's lead author, who is based at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Gusareva said the participants in the study had been "deeply motivated" to uncover their people's history, showing the importance of ancestral knowledge for people's identities. The researcher cited an "urgent case" involving the Kawesqar people of Patagonia, whose population and 6,000-year-old cultural heritage is in danger of disappearing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "This genetic record is one of the last chances to preserve their legacy." Eurasian roots of Indigenous Americans Gusareva and other researchers sequenced the genomes of 1,537 individuals from 139 ethnic groups in northern Eurasia and the Americas. They compared the millions of tiny variations in the genes of modern-day Indigenous people to ancient DNA from the first peoples to arrive in the Americas, creating a genomic dataset from people previously underrepresented in ancestral science. Tracing how these genetic codes changed in people from different geographical regions and various Indigenous groups allowed them to study patterns of population history, migration and adaptation over thousands of years. "Our genetic analysis of Indigenous groups is crucial because their genomes carry unique insights into the earliest human history in the region," said Gusareva's colleague, Hie Lim Kim, a geneticist at Nanyang Technological University. Their analysis appears to corroborate existing archaeological evidence, showing the first peoples in the Americas diverged from North Eurasians between 19,300 and 26,800 years ago. The dates are "consistent with a large body of archaeological evidence," said Francisco Javier Aceituno, an archaeologist at the University of Antioquia, Colombia, who was not involved in the new study. By comparing genetic datasets, the researchers said they had been able to find the closest living relatives of Indigenous North Americans are west Beringian groups, such as the Inuit, Koryaks and Luoravetlans. Beringia was an ice bridge between modern-day Russia and North America during the last ice age. Foundation of South America's Indigenous groups Gusareva and Kim's study found that after the early settlers had arrived in South America and then split into four distinct groups — Amazonian, Andean, Chaco Amerindian and Patagonian — they each became isolated in different environments. Aceituno told DW these groups of hunter-gatherers probably divided "to occupy new territories, generate new family groups and avoid isolation." Gusareva believes the new genetic data shows natural barriers, such as the Amazon rainforest and the Andes mountain range, led to the isolation of these Indigenous groups. "This made their genetic makeup more uniform, similar to what is seen in island populations," Gusareva said. Ancient gene mutations affect modern South Americans' health The study also found Indigenous groups have distinct genetic traits, which may have evolved through their adapting to extreme environments and long-term isolation from other groups. For instance, a group of Andean highlanders carries a gene mutation that helps them adapt to low levels of oxygen. Mutations in the gene EPAS1 stimulate new blood vessel formation and produce more red blood cells. EPAS1 mutations have also been found in people from Tibet. "As people adapted to diverse and often extreme environments — like high altitudes or cold climates — their genomes evolved accordingly," said Kim. Previous studies have found genetic variations among Brazil's Indigenous groups may cause them to respond differently to medication for blood clots or high cholesterol. Kim said the new research had revealed more than 70 gene variations that could increase [people's] vulnerability to emerging infectious diseases. "Many of these populations are already small. It's critical to provide tailored health care and disease prevention efforts to support their well-being," said Kim.
