Using a variety of samples and methods, the researchers were able to differentiate which microorganisms were already present in the body during his lifetime and which only colonized it after his death – both during the time in the glacier and over three decades of preservation. In samples of internal tissue, the researchers were able to detect genetic material from bacteria belonging to Ötzi’s original gut flora. A surprising finding is the presence of cold-adapted yeast species, likely originating from the glacial environment, that have persisted on Ötzi’s body to the present day. These cold-tolerant yeasts may also hold potential for industrial applications. The study was published in the reputable Microbiome journal.

As cities expand underground through new roads, housing, tunnels, and infrastructure, huge volumes of soil are dug up, moved, and often left exposed at construction or storage sites. A new study published in Biochar suggests that these excavated soils may carry a largely overlooked climate cost.

Well-preserved archaeological bone samples have different microbial communities than heavily degraded bone samples, providing a new understanding of how microbes contribute to bone degradation, according to a study published May 27, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Damla Kaptan from the University of Stavanger, Norway, and colleagues. This study combines detailed analyses of archaeological bone degradation with analyses of microbiome diversity, providing new insights into how microbes may contribute to long-term bone preservation and decay.

Long-distance migration along Peru’s Pacific coast began at least 800 years ago, centuries before the rise of the Inca Empire and much earlier than previously thought, a new international study reveals. 

Climate change is rapidly destroying cultural heritage sites across the Arctic, as exemplified in a 17^th century “whalers’ graveyard” which provides invaluable insights into early whalers’ way of life, according to a study published May 20, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Lise Loktu of the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research and Elin Therese Brødholt of Oslo University Hospital, Norway.

New research identifies pre-agricultural intensification of plant use in Pleistocene Sri Lankan rainforests

Research on Roman-Byzantine villages in Syria has revealed sophisticated construction techniques and carefully organized domestic layouts, providing deeper insight into the subtle aspects of daily life in Late Antiquity. Remarkably, these architectural remains have endured in an exceptionally well-preserved state since the sixth century AD, despite the passage of time and centuries of environmental exposure.

The Universitat Jaume I and its Social Council have presented the book Benicàssim. Espacio y sociedad, a collective work directed by Vicent Ortells and edited by Manuel Chust, offering a comprehensive overview of the town’s historical, social and cultural development.

The publication brings together 32 specialists from the humanities and social sciences to analyse topics such as territory, society, economy and heritage from prehistory to the present day, providing a rigorous and multidisciplinary perspective.