A brief history of palaeogenomics: How a young discipline revolutionised the study of the past

Abstract

In a few years, the field of ancient DNA has changed from an anecdotal and artisanal discipline to one of the most dynamic scientific fields, generating massive genomic data about hundreds of individuals from the past. These include from extinct hominins such as Neanderthals or Denisovans to prehistoric humans that inform us about the recent settlement of continents. Palaeogenomics provides direct information about time and space, adaptive and demographic aspects of human populations, and manifests complex patterns of past migrations that help us to understand the current diversity. The development of the discipline is a unique opportunity to establish collaborative links with archaeologists and anthropologists and create a truly multidisciplinary view of the study of the past