Otago researchers question on the study of the "mummy"

A research team led by the University of Otago challenged the ethics and scientific analysis of a study on a highly publicized "alien" mummy, discovered in a Chilean desert.

Prof. Sian Halcrow, Bioarchaeologist Professor Halcrow said that Otago's evaluation of earlier research on the skeleton and genomics at Stanford University has raised several "worrisome" questions about the disease. 39, ethics, including that of Atacama Mummy. The Otago research was published in International Journal of Paleopathology this week.

The Stanford work was published in Genome Research earlier this year.

In April, Lisa Matisoo-Smith, Professor of Biological Anthropology, also from the Otago Department, spoke in an address to a Professor Matisoo-Smith discussed some genetic researchers based abroad, who have not always fully engaged with local communities and have used the rigorous multidisciplinary approaches needed to avoid potential problems with DNA analysis.

Previous problems had included a questionable analysis of DNA skulls, which could have been mislabeled in a Latin American museum, and problems with other skulls found in pits in the Pacific.

Prof. Halcrow agreed with Professor Matisoo-Smith's concerns. The research conducted, involving a tiny mummy, nicknamed Ata, brought to light related problems

The mummy was discovered more than ten years ago in an abandoned town in the Atacama Desert, Chile [19659003] Abnormal perceived features of the skeleton, which measured only 15 cm

But Professor Halcrow and other academic researchers in the United States, Sweden The previous study, "scientifically erroneous", emphasized the need of a slow search, with the contribution of other key specialists, especially in bone development and archeology, she said.