ON THE ORIGIN OF US
Ancient DNA teased out from the fossilised bones and teeth of human species has transformed what we know about our ancestors. Over the past two decades, analysis of genetic material has not only revealed new human species, but it’s also allowed archaeologists to recreate what our ancestors looked like, thousands of years after they went extinct. But it can’t give us the whole story because DNA is fragile - it breaks down over time to the point where its code becomes unintelligible. This has meant that many ancient bones can’t be analysed genetically, therefore much of the human family tree has remained hidden from view.
But over the past few years, new insights into our ancient ancestors have come from the proteins locked inside fossilised remains. Proteins can survive much longer than DNA, and advances in lab techniques, such as mass spectrometry,
