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Ancient DNA tells story of toddler who lived in Italy 17,000 years ago

A young boy who lived towards the end of the last glacial period had dark skin, blue eyes and a congenital heart condition, a study of his genome reveals

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

2 October 2024

The skeleton of an infant uncovered at Grotta delle Mura in Apulia, Italy

Mauro Calattin

Ancient DNA analysis has revealed a detailed picture of the life of a toddler who died in southern Italy 17,000 years ago, possibly due to a congenital heart condition.

In 1998, researchers discovered the skeletal remains of a child carefully laid under rock slabs in the floor of the Grotta delle Mura cavern in Apulia, southern Italy. It was the only burial in the cave, which also included signs of daily life and human occupation, says Alessandra Modi at the University of Florence…

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