selection of bones

A Research Futures webinar with Dr Garry Scarlett

1 min read

Necromancy is the magical art of communicating with the dead. Over the past 35 years modern science has developed its own form of necromancy; the analysis of DNA recovered from the bones of long dead people and animals. Much of who we are is determined by our DNA, from physical characteristics to our preference in flavours, it is becoming increasingly clear that our genes play a significant role in defining us as individuals. Furthermore, as DNA is passed down to us from our ancestors, we can connect our modern world to long lost populations in surprising ways. In this Webinar I will outline the developments in the field of ancient DNA and focus on a case study of work conducted by the UoP in conjunction with the Mary Rose Trust.