Latest news with #geneticstudy
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
New DNA analysis uncovers shocking clues behind the Maya civilization's mysterious collapse
For centuries, the story of the ancient Maya's sudden disappearance has captivated — and baffled — archaeologists. But now, a groundbreaking genetic study reveals a very different ending: the people never left. Researchers analyzed ancient DNA from human remains buried in Copan, a major Maya city in modern day Honduras. Their findings challenge the long-held belief that the city's fall around 1,200 years ago marked a total population collapse. Instead, the genetic data reveals that many of Copan's original inhabitants stayed put and bred with outsiders. The same bloodlines that walked Copan's grand plazas in the 9th century continued living in the region for centuries, even as the political empire crumbled. Archaeologists previously thought that the political collapse of Classic Maya city-states like Copan involved a massive population wipeout or mass exodus. Lisa Lucero, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois, echoed this sentiment in an interview with LiveScience, stating: 'The over 7 million Maya living today are living proof that the political system crumbled, not the people.' The collapse of the Mayan empire did not happen all at once, but over centuries of droughts, wars and stints of overpopulation. While historians debate the true cause of its disappearance, many agree that a combination of the factors led to the abandonment of many Maya city-states. While DNA has been recovered from other Maya sites before, this is the most detailed genetic snapshot ever taken of individuals who lived in one of the civilization's most iconic cities. Researchers analyzed the DNA of seven corpses found at Copan, allowing them piece the puzzle together. The newly extracted genomes were then compared to over 700 ancient and modern genomes from across the Americas, resulting in a detailed genetic map. The findings revealed that individuals buried at Copan belonged to a broader Maya genetic lineage that dates back to 3,700 BC, particularly in what is now Belize. However, researchers also detected genetic signatures from central Mexico's highlands, home to ancient Zapotec and Mixe peoples from roughly 500 BC to 900 AD. This genetic mixing supports long-standing theories that Maya elites may have intermarried with outsiders to facilitate political alliances, the researchers said. It also aligns with the idea that some rulers may have been raised in or originated from distant regions. Even after the political collapse of Classic Maya civilization, their genetic legacy lived on in present-day populations. The Copan people had strong links the modern-day Mexican, Guatemalan, and Honduran people. Shigeki Nakagome, co-author of the study and assistant professor of genomic medicine at Trinity College Dublin, said: 'This supports the idea that Maya society, especially among the elite, was both diverse and mobile,' Nakagome said. 'But despite these external influences, there's a remarkable continuity of local ancestry.' Copan was founded in 426 AD by the dynasty's first ruler, K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo', who is believed to have migrated from the central Maya region. Strategically located along major trade routes, the city served as a cultural crossroads linking Mesoamerican civilizations from the Yucatan to the Andes. Although Copan has been extensively studied through archaeology, its genetic history had remained largely unknown, until now. Interestingly, among the sequenced individuals, one male buried with elaborate artifacts in Copan stood out. His genetic profile suggested elite status, possibly a dynastic ruler. A second male, buried nearby with no artifacts, was identified as a likely sacrificial victim. They say small the small sample limits the study's potential to represent the complete diversity of Copán's population, let alone the broader Maya civilization.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Olympian Lisa Curry makes a heartbreaking plea following the death of her daughter as she recalls their final moments together
Former Olympian Lisa Curry has made a heartbreaking plea in honour of her daughter Jaimi who died in 2020 at age 33 after a long battle with alcoholism and an eating disorder. Lisa, 63, is asking for volunteers to join a new genetic study led by Queensland researchers who hope to identify eating disorders at birth. Appearing on Nine News on Tuesday Lisa recalled her tragic loss. 'She just sort of took a breath and then her hands went cold, that was it,' Lisa said. Explaining her passion for the fresh plea for answers to such common eating disorders such anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder Lisa remembered Jaimi's own anguish about her condition. 'She'd say, "Where did it come from? Why am I like this?"' Lisa said. Nine reported that 4000 Australian volunteers are required for the study, while there is a target for 100,000 to take part worldwide. The study will include the collection of saliva samples in order to identify genetic markers with the research taking place at the DNA facility at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). Professor Nick Martin of QIMR explained in the Nine story that genetic disposition plays a large component in eating disorders. It comes after Lisa revealed she was in 'recovery' following the tragic death of her daughter Jaimi. In January last year, Lisa said she had finally gotten herself back to the gym after '3 1/2 years of sadness and grief'. Her recent sessions with a personal trainer were necessitated by her hip replacement surgery last year. Lisa injured herself in 2023 while husky dog sledding in Yukon, Canada. She slipped on the ice which caused her to fall and break her hip. Jaimi, who Lisa shared with ex-husband Grant Kenny, died in September 2020 after a long battle with alcoholism and an eating disorder. Lisa and former Australian Ironman Grant Kenny we d in 1984, separated in 2009, and welcomed three children together: son Jett, and daughters Morgan and Jaimi. The athlete recently revealed she has officially given up alcohol after suffering a terrifying health scare while holidaying in Fiji. She shared a raw and deeply personal update to Instagram last month, posting a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed in Queensland, looking weary. 'Just a little overnight stay in hospital,' Lisa captioned the photo, before taking her followers on a sobering journey through her long battle with serious heart issues - and her decision to give up booze for good. 'Seventeen years ago... I had Myocarditis, 22,000 irregular heartbeats a day, a mitral valve prolapse (hereditary from my mum), a fractured sternum (from a chiropractic appointment),' Lisa began. 'Then a defibrillator, an infection, a month's stay in hospital on heavy antibiotics - and then finally home, living a different life.' The legendary athlete revealed she had to permanently give up alcohol for her health. 'I decided to give up alcohol early last year. But while in Fiji last October I decided to have a cocktail on our last night. It was super syrupy and sugary and not 10 minutes later I went off with a bang!! Not a nice feeling,' she shared. Her defibrillator was triggered after her heart rate spiked to a dangerous 270 beats per minute - a terrifying episode that cemented her decision to quit drinking entirely. Lisa, who also revealed she now experiences atrial fibrillation (AF), urged her followers to always take heart symptoms seriously - even if they seem minor at the time.
