A breakthrough study published in Nature Genetics has revealed the genomic secrets of a 14,000-year-old population in the Dinaric Alps. Researchers identified a unique evolutionary selection for genes that regulate mineral homeostasis, particularly calcium and magnesium, allowing these early hunter-gatherers to thrive in a landscape dominated by karst hydro-geology and high-mineral groundwater.
This paleogenomic research demonstrates that post-glacial human populations in Europe were far more specialized to their local micro-environments than previously understood. The study used ancient DNA extracted from the petrous bone, tracing a distinct genetic lineage that diverged as sea levels rose and the Alpine geography isolated specific foraging groups.