A groundbreaking paleogenomic study published in Nature Genetics has revealed the existence of a distinctive Late Pleistocene lineage in Tasmania. By analyzing the DNA of remains dating back 14,000 years, researchers identified unique genetic markers associated with the metabolism of high-iodine marine proteins, suggesting a highly specialized maritime diet that predates the stabilization of Holocene sea levels.
The study provides the first direct evidence of long-term genetic isolation following the flooding of the Bass Strait. This adaptation allowed the early inhabitants to thrive on a diet dominated by kelp-dwelling mollusks and sea mammals, highlighting a metabolic resilience previously unrecorded in the ancient genomic record of the region.