A paleogenomic study of 11,000-year-old human remains from the Chukotka Peninsula has identified a unique genetic mutation linked to UVB radiation resilience. The research, appearing in Cell Genomics, reveals that early Arctic settlers developed specialized genetic adaptations to handle the extreme solar glare and fluctuating light cycles of the high North shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum.
This genomic breakthrough provides evidence of rapid local adaptation in Paleo-Siberian populations. The team found that these ancient individuals possessed a specific variant of the SLC24A5 gene and associated regulatory markers that optimized Vitamin D synthesis while protecting against retinal damage from snow-reflected UV rays. The findings rewrite the timeline of human biological specialization in extreme polar environments.