Denisovans13 min
The Harbin Cranium: Putting a Face on the Denisovans
Ancient proteins and mitochondrial DNA from dental calculus identify the near-complete Harbin cranium from northeastern China as a Denisovan.
Research journal, page 6
Blog
Methodology deep-dives, population spotlights, and engineering notes from the Ancestrify team, qpAdm modelling, ancient DNA panels, and how genetic ancestry analysis really works.
Field notes, page 6
8 stories
Picuris Pueblo8 minPicuris Pueblo DNA: A Tribe Commissions Its Own Ancient-DNA Study
Picuris Pueblo initiated a genomic study of its own ancestors, showing continuity across a millennium and a firm link to Chaco Canyon.
Albania13 minAlbanian DNA: Ancient Origins, Continuity and Migration
What are the ancient origins of Albanian DNA? A 2026 ancient DNA study traces Albanian ancestry from Bronze and Iron Age West Balkan (Illyrian-era) groups through Roman and medieval admixture, with the Slavic input measured. The eras, the sources, and how to test your own file.
Balkans10 minAncient Balkan DNA: Romans, Slavs and Migration
Ancient Balkan DNA reveals Roman-era Anatolian mobility, mixed late-antique migrations and lasting ancestry linked to Slavic expansion.
Indo European10 minIndo-European Origins: The Hybrid Hypothesis Explained
A 2023 Science study analyzed 161 languages, dated the Indo-European root to about 8,120 years ago, and proposed a debated hybrid origin.
Methodology9 minUnderstanding qpAdm: how to read a formal admixture model
The method, for readers who want the maths: what qpAdm computes, what the p-value, standard error and z-score each mean, why outgroup choice decides whether a model is worth anything, and how to read a rejection with a worked example.
Greece10 minDeep Maniot DNA: Genetic Continuity in Southern Greece
A 2026 study of 102 Deep Maniots finds unusual paternal isolation, Bronze Age-linked lineages, medieval founder effects and diverse maternal ancestry.
Anatolia9 minThe Genetic making of Anatolian Turks
qpAdm modeling shows modern Anatolian Turks carrying ancestry from Neolithic farmers, Yamnaya, and later Iron Age to medieval populations, reflecting a complex mix of local and incoming ancestries.
