Scientists get hands dirty with research into medieval poop

Study seeks to compare microbiomes of our ancestors for clues to modern diseasesResearchers working knee-deep in 14th- and 15th-century latrines have found that bacterial DNA from human excrement can last for centuries and provide clues to how our gut contents have changed significantly since medieval times.Analysis of two cesspits, one in Jerusalem and the other in the Latvian capital, Riga, could help scientists understand if changes to our microbiome – the genetic makeup of the bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites and other microbes living inside us – affect modern-day afflictions.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - October 9, 2020 Category: Science Authors: Oliver Holmes Jerusalem correspondent Tags: Science Biology Microbiology Medical research Israel Archaeology Middle East and North Africa World news Source Type: news