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Mummified specimen from the Atacama region of Chile E. Smith / Bhattacharya et al., 2018 / Genome Research
In March This year, a group of geneticists published a study in Genome Research on a small mummy similar to an alien nicknamed Ata, discovered in the Atacama desert in Chile in 2003. These researchers suggested that new mutations could be responsible The seemingly strange anatomical features of Mummy, an international team of experts has now refuted these findings and questioned the ethical and legal implications of DNA analysis
As soon as the Genome Research was published, experts from the human body – with specific expertise in fetal osteology and archeology – started a conversation on Twitter whose result was published today in International Journal of Paleopathology in an article written by a bioarchaeologist and an infant skeleton expert Sian Halcrow of the University d & # 39; Otago and presenting contributions from me, OB / GYN Dr. Jen Gunter Biological Anthropologists Damien Huffer Gwen Robbins Schug Michael Knapp and William Jungers, and the Archaeologist Chilean Bernardo Arriaza
In this short article, we argue that erroneous assumptions about the Ata skeleton by researchers untrained in the normal development of the fetus have led to ethically problematic tests and overzealous conclusions about the genome of the mummy .
Specifically, we first emphasized the problems encountered by researchers in assessing the age of Ata's death, which they considered to be much older – 6 to 8 years – based on incorrect analysis of leg bones. However, none of the methods presented by the researchers met accepted standards for the estimation of age using bio-archaeological, forensic, pediatric or obstetric techniques.
Curiously, they also concluded that the skeleton lacked ribs and claimed that the mummy had an elongated skull. "As experts in human anatomy and skeletal development", we find no evidence of the skeletal abnormalities claimed by the authors: their observations of "abnormalities" represent the normal development of the skeleton in the fetus , the cranial cast at birth and
The problems that we found with the original study did not stop there however. The genomic analysis was also strange, as researchers discovered supposedly new mutations that could explain what they perceived as the small size of Ata. "In our opinion," note we, "it's probably a coincidence that the authors found mutations in the genes […] because: 1) the impulse of their analysis was based on a bad interpretation of skeletal morphology;) the specific variants that they discovered have no known functional effect on skeletal morphology at this age, and 3) other variants that they have found are new with unknown meaning. "
Finally, our third point concerns archaeological and contemporary ethics. Although no one knows when Ata died, regardless of his antiquity, his body is governed by laws or archaeological or forensic ethics. " Regardless of the period of time," we conclude, "the research and publication of this specimen data do not follow current ethical standards in anthropology" as nowhere in the publication of Genome Research statement of ethics or archaeological permit.
Once the media coverage was reduced, we wondered if the ends of the study justified the means. As anthropologists, anatomists and doctors who also use social media as a teaching and public awareness tool, we all want to educate the public about ancient and modern lifestyles; and, after all, the study of Genome Research proved to the public that Ata was human and not extraterrestrial. However, we agreed that "h these researchers involved, from the beginning, a biological anthropologist specializing in human remains, we are certain that ethical concerns would have been raised about potentially living parents of Ata [19659008] and the illegal removal of the Chilean mummy, so we can not conclude that the ends justify the means.In the end, even the new genetic variations discovered in the genome of Ata are of uncertain significance "
easier and cheaper, it is undertaken much more frequently today than in the past. Our ethics needs to be followed and we need to involve multidisciplinary teams. DNA researchers who are not trained in forensic or archaeological ethics may find themselves in a difficult situation if they do not stop to wonder where their samples come from. . We therefore consider this study Genome Research as a warning to others: "G involved in cases that lack context and legality, or whose remains have resided in private collections »can open a Pandora's question box. "In the case of Ata," we conclude, "expensive and lengthy scientific tests using whole genome techniques were useless and unethical."
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Mummified Specimen of the Atacama Region of Chile E. Smith / Bhattacharya and Other 2018 / Genome Research
In March of this year, a group of geneticists published a study in Genome Research on a small alien-like mummy nicknamed Ata, found in the Atacama desert in Chile in 2003. While these researchers have suggested that new mutations might be responsible for the characteristics Apparently strange anatomical figures of the mummy, an international team of experts has now refuted these findings and questioned the ethical and legal implications of DNA analysis. As soon as the article Genome Research was published and attracted the attention of the media, experts of the human body – with specific expertise in fetal osteology development and archeology – began a discussion on Twit The r The result of this dialogue was published today in the International Journal of Paleopathology in an article written by a bioarchaeologist and expert in infant skeleton Sian Halcrow of the University d & # 39; Otago. me, OB / GYN Dr. Jen Gunter Biological Anthropologists Damien Huffer Gwen Robbins Schug Michael Knapp and William Jungers, and the Chilean archaeologist Bernardo Arriaza
In this short article, we support the false assumptions about the Ata skeleton by researchers untrained in the normal development of the fetus led to ethically problematic tests and overzealous conclusions about the genome of the mummy
More specifically, we describe First the problems encountered by the researchers to assess the age of Ata. that they assumed was much older – 6 to 8 years old – based on an incorrect analysis of the leg bones. However, none of the methods presented by the researchers met accepted standards for the estimation of age using bio-archaeological, forensic, pediatric or obstetric techniques.
Curiously, they also concluded that the skeleton lacked ribs and claimed that the mummy had an elongated skull. "As experts in human anatomy and skeletal development", we find no evidence of the skeletal abnormalities claimed by the authors: their observations of "abnormalities" represent the normal development of the skeleton in the fetus , the cranial cast at birth and
The problems that we found with the original study did not stop there, however. The genomic analysis was also strange, as researchers discovered supposedly new mutations that could explain what they perceived as the small size of Ata. "In our opinion," note we, "it's probably a coincidence that the authors found mutations in the genes […] because: 1) the impulse of their analysis was based on a bad interpretation of skeletal morphology;) the specific variants that they discovered have no known functional effect on skeletal morphology at this age, and 3) other variants that they have found are new with unknown meaning. "
Finally, our third point concerns archaeological and contemporary ethics. Although no one knows when Ata died, regardless of his antiquity, his body is governed by laws or archaeological or forensic ethics. " Regardless of the period of time," we conclude, "the research and publication of this specimen data do not follow current ethical standards in anthropology" as nowhere in the publication of Genome Research statement of ethics or archaeological permit.
Once the media coverage was reduced, we wondered if the ends of the study justified the means. As anthropologists, anatomists and doctors who also use social media as a teaching and public awareness tool, we all want to educate the public about ancient and modern lifestyles; and, after all, the study of Genome Research proved to the public that Ata was human and not extraterrestrial. However, we agreed that "h these researchers involved, from the beginning, a biological anthropologist specializing in human remains, we are certain that ethical concerns would have been raised about potentially living parents of Ata [19659008] and the illegal removal of the Chilean mummy, so we can not conclude that the ends justify the means.In the end, even the new genetic variations discovered in the genome of Ata are of uncertain significance "
easier and cheaper, it is undertaken much more frequently today than in the past. Our ethics needs to be followed and we need to involve multidisciplinary teams. DNA researchers who are not trained in forensic or archaeological ethics may find themselves in a difficult situation if they do not stop to wonder where their samples come from. . We therefore consider this study Genome Research as a warning to others: "G involved in cases that lack context and legality, or whose remains have resided in private collections »can open a Pandora's question box. "In the case of Ata," we conclude, "expensive and lengthy scientific tests using whole genome techniques were useless and unethical."
