Center for the Human Past
Bantu
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Talks of the Past Open Seminar: Hunter-gatherer ancestry in Zambian BaTwa populations – Genetics, archaeology and discussion of results with study participants
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Read more →: Talks of the Past Open Seminar: Hunter-gatherer ancestry in Zambian BaTwa populations – Genetics, archaeology and discussion of results with study participantsAbstract Sub-equatorial Africa is today inhabited predominantly by Bantu-speaking groups of Western African descent, whose ancestors, in many cases, replaced, displaced, or assimilated local hunter-gatherer groups. In eastern Zambia, there is evidence of Bantu-speaking agriculturalists from circa 2000 years ago. Little is known about the genetic affinities of the hunter-gatherers who inhabited the area before…
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Meet Francesco Giannelli, our new postdoctoral researcher in interdisciplinary genetics
Read more →: Meet Francesco Giannelli, our new postdoctoral researcher in interdisciplinary geneticsFrancesco Giannelli defended his PhD on “The role of expansion dynamics in shaping genetic diversity and load accumulation: insights from two Lessepsian invaders” at the Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona, Italy, in May 2025. He investigated how expansion dynamics affect neutral and deleterious genetic diversity. In September, he joined the Centre and Carina Schlebusch’s Lab…
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Extended Wallenberg Fellowship for Carina Schlebusch
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Read more →: Extended Wallenberg Fellowship for Carina SchlebuschCarina’s project, “Prehistoric DNA reveals the spread of agriculture,” will continue thanks to the prolonged Knut and Alice Wallenberg Academy grant. Carina Schlebusch is analyzing the DNA of prehistoric farmers from different parts of Africa to map how cultivation and herding technology spread south of the Sahara. According to Carina, “Genetics is a fantastic tool…