Overview
- A multinational team led by Eurac Research reported in June 2026 that Ötzi’s remains host a dynamic mix of ancient and modern microbes rather than a biologically inert relic.
- The researchers detected degraded DNA signatures of intestinal bacteria linked to high‑fiber, preindustrial diets, offering a rare window into Bronze Age human gut ecology.
- Cold‑adapted yeasts were cultured from samples taken in 2010 and 2019 and successfully used to produce a sourdough starter, showing some microbes can be revived under laboratory cold conditions.
- Genetic analysis found three of four yeast strains carry genes to break down phenol, a chemical applied to Ötzi after discovery, which suggests past conservation measures may have selected for resistant microbes.
- Authors and museum officials urged tighter environmental monitoring to prevent latent communities becoming active, while outside scientists cautioned that DNA damage alone and gaps in sampling timing limit claims of continuous millennia‑long growth.