The interdisciplinary platform to unravel mysteries of human past
The Center for the Human Past seeks to bridge the three disciplines Archaeology, Genetics and Linguistics that investigate the same history of the same world populations in the last 10,000 years.
Photograph: Frank Vinken
Latest News
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UU researcher profile: Harald Hammarström documents languages on the verge of extinction
Read more →: UU researcher profile: Harald Hammarström documents languages on the verge of extinctionA professor of linguistics with a Master’s in computer science and a PhD in computational linguistics, Harald goes an extra mile to document the languages that head towards extinction. “Throughout time, smaller languages have always been swallowed up by larger ones. But now, with globalisation, this is happening at an incredibly accelerated pace.” Language has…
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Carina Schlebusch’s current research—in a nutshell
Read more →: Carina Schlebusch’s current research—in a nutshellCarina Schlebusch is combining archaeology, genetics and biochemistry with the aim of discovering how human genes have adapted to changing lifestyles over thousands of years. Prehistoric DNA from skeletal remains in Africa can provide answers to questions about diet, disease and survival, and perhaps even offer clues about humanity’s future health. The goal now is…
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Meet Lydia Furness, our new postdoctoral researcher in interdisciplinary genetics
Read more →: Meet Lydia Furness, our new postdoctoral researcher in interdisciplinary genetics“My research background lies at the intersection of archaeology, evolutionary anthropology, and biomolecular science. I trained initially as an archaeologist at the University of Liverpool, specialising in archaeological science and early human evolution, which provided a strong foundation in archaeological practice, material analysis, and the ethical dimensions of working with human remains and cultural heritage.”…
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Surprising discovery in prehistoric DNA – traced to our kidneys
Read more →: Surprising discovery in prehistoric DNA – traced to our kidneysLatest research results from Mattias Jakobsson and his colleagues at the Human Evolution Program were featured on local TV (18 Apr 2026). By examining DNA from thousands of years-old bone fragments, researchers have found genetic changes that were present in prehistoric humans – and in us today. The researchers also made a surprising discovery: several…
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