Scientists find ‘signs of life’ in a 5,300-year-old mummy

Researchers reportedly found traces of ancient microbes inside Ötzi the Iceman, a mummy that is believed to be more than 5,300 years old, described as “signs of life.” According to a study published in the journal Microbiome, the findings may point to signs of microbial life that have persisted inside the mummy since ancient times. 

Ötzi’s remains are believed to date back to 3300 B.C., which would place them before the construction of Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. According to researchers, he was likely between 25 and 35 years old when he died, and he is believed to have stood roughly 5 feet 2 inches tall.

While studying the mummy at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, researchers said they found cold-adapted yeasts, along with genetic traces of bacteria that are believed to be linked to Ötzi’s ancient gut microbiome.

Researchers say they separated ancient microbes from those that arrived after death

According to the study, researchers said they were able to differentiate between microorganisms that were apparently present during Ötzi’s lifetime and those that are believed to have colonized his body after he died. Researchers reportedly used tissue samples, swabs and genetic analysis to reach these findings.

The research team said they analyzed ice from the surface of Ötzi’s body, along with meltwater found inside the mummy. They also reportedly drew on intestinal tissue and stomach-content data gathered from previous studies of the mummy.

One of the more unexpected discoveries, according to researchers, was the presence of cold-adapted yeast species, which are believed to have originated from the glacial environment where Ötzi was preserved. These yeasts are said to have persisted on Ötzi’s body up to the present day. Finding like this is not rare, as previously, a young student reported having uncovered a 15-foot reptile fossil. 

Researchers also said Ötzi’s microbiome appears to be unique, as it reportedly contains gut bacteria that are not typically found in the intestines of modern humans. “Ötzi therefore offers a rare glimpse into humanity’s microbial past,” Eurac Research said in a statement, cited by Fox News. 

According to the study’s authors, some of the microbes may still exist in a dormant state more than 5,000 years after Ötzi’s death, as his body remains at the South Tyrol Museum. Elisabeth Vallazza, director of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, described the mummy’s preservation condition as “very stable today.”

“Close microbiological monitoring ensures that the mummy suffers no damage,” Vallazza said. “But further research and full conservation efforts are certainly needed to preserve it for many more generations,” she added.

Despite the findings, researchers said there is still uncertainty surrounding how microorganisms are able to survive and interact within Ötzi’s frozen remains. Conservation expert and study co-author Marco Samadelli said the conditions “are not yet fully understood. This study expands our knowledge in this area,” Samadelli said.

According to SWNS, Frank Maixner, director of the Institute for Mummy Studies at Eurac Research, said the discovery suggests a continuous presence of certain microorganisms on the mummy throughout its long history. “These yeasts have accompanied Ötzi on his long journey through the millennia,” Maixner said.

According to Maixner, Ötzi is “not a static relic, but a dynamic biological system.” Researchers said the latest findings add to a broader body of recent research focused on mummies and other ancient remains. The study’s findings come amid other recent discoveries involving ancient remains. Earlier this spring, officials said researchers from the University of Barcelona had discovered a copy of Homer’s “Iliad” that was reportedly placed on top of a mummy in Egypt. 

Scientists have also reportedly examined unexpected internal findings in other recent cases involving wildlife. In a separate report, researchers were said to have examined the inside of a giant marlin caught by competitive fishermen in North Carolina.