The Lab Discovering DNA in Old Books
"Artifacts have genetic material hidden inside, which can help scientists understand the past.
"But Collins isn’t just interested in human remains. He’s interested in
the things these humans made; the animals they bred, slaughtered, and
ate; and the economies they created.
That’s why he was studying DNA from the bones of livestock—and why his
lab is now at the forefront of studying DNA from objects such as
parchment, birch-bark tar, and beeswax. These objects can fill in gaps
in the written record, revealing new aspects of historical production
and trade. How much beeswax came from North Africa, for example? Or how
did cattle plague make its way through Europe? With ample genetic data,
you might reconstruct a more complete picture of life hundreds of years
in the past."
