Lecture | Genetic History of Europe Adaptation and Migration in Prehistory _ Johannes Krause

Ancient DNA can reveal prehistoric events that would be difficult to distinguish by studying only archaeological remains and modern genetic variation. In the past decade, the field of archeology has been established. have analyzed more than 5,000 ancient human genomes spanning the past 10,000 years of Western Eurasian prehistory.

We discovered at least two major gene turnover events in the early and late Neolithic that significantly altered the genetic landscape of Europe. These changes were likely caused by at least two major migration events.

First, from about 8,000 years ago, the first farmers dispersed from Anatolia and brought agriculture and livestock to Europe. At the end of the Neolithic period, about 5,000 years ago, we find the first genetic evidence of another major migration event, when groups from the Eastern European Pontic steppes, north of the Black Sea, entered the region. European center. The newcomers were pastoralists, practiced pastoralism, and were highly mobile. Besides introducing new cultural practices, they may have contributed to the spread of Indo-European languages.

In this lecture, Johannes Krause will introduce us to the field of archeology and its discoveries. He would show that the entire population of modern Europe today is a genetic mixture of steppe herders, early Anatolian farmers, and indigenous European hunter-gatherers, with different ratios. Furthermore, he will show that over the past 10,000 years, genetic combinations and local biological adaptations have brought about major changes in human phenotypes, such as eye color, skin color, and ability to digest lactose."