Chinese scientists recover 5,000-year-old human DNA

Chinese scientists have extracted
DNA from the bones of people who lived 4,000 to 5,000 years
ago, the state media reported on Monday.

The breakthrough signals the move of China's
anthropological research from mostly observation-based studies
to advanced DNA analysis, Xinhua news agency said.

Scientists of the Shanghai laboratory had three years ago
recovered DNA from the bones of people who inhabited northwest
China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region 3,200 years ago.

The study of the DNA led to the conclusion that
Mongolians and Caucasians had once lived together.

“The laboratory is planning to establish a bone gene
database of ancient Chinese,” the report said.

Bureau Report