🧬 Humans are still undergoing natural evolution

It would be tempting to believe that human evolution has slowed since our ancestors left Africa 300,000 years ago. Yet a new study based on ancient DNA reveals a very different reality.

By analyzing the genomes of nearly 16,000 individuals who lived in western Eurasia over more than 10,000 years, researchers have shown that natural selection has continued very actively up to the present day.


The team assembled a massive dataset, combining newly extracted DNA from over 10,000 ancient remains with thousands of already published genomes. This wealth of data made it possible to detect subtle changes in gene frequency that are invisible with smaller samples. Advanced computational methods then distinguished true selection signals from other influences such as migrations or random fluctuations.

The tested samples show that natural selection favored 479 genetic variants that became more or less frequent over time. Many are linked to current traits: light skin, red hair, resistance to certain infections, or a reduced risk of autoimmune diseases.

The study also shows that selection intensified with the rise of agriculture. New diets and lifestyles created different pressures. For example, genes linked to tuberculosis or multiple sclerosis saw their frequency change over time. More than 60% of the identified variants are associated with traits that still exist today.

Surprisingly, some variants that increase the risk of celiac disease (a chronic autoimmune intestinal disorder) also spread after the advent of agriculture.

For the future, the researchers have made their data and methods public. They plan to apply the same approach to other regions and older time periods. This could reveal whether similar selective pressures have acted on human groups across the globe. This work could also help identify new disease factors, improving risk prediction and treatments.