- Beyond her DNA, the scientists were also able to extract ancient microbes from her mouth that were sealed in the ancient gum. They found traces of the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause infectious mononucleosis. They also extracted remnants of what could have been the woman's last meal — duck and hazelnuts.
Schroeder says it's unique to have DNA, traces of oral microbes and clues about diet all from a single individual. "It's really a rich picture from this kind of inconspicuous, small lump of birch resin."
This is the most exciting part of the article to me: "It gives me inspiration to go out and start looking for more of these unusual contexts in which we might find interesting information," Warinner says. Creative thought combined with technological advancement, catalyzed by a landmark discovery in a niche field? Yes please! I can't wait to see where this new(-ish) line of inquiry goes :)Warinner recently tried analyzing chewed-up stems from a cave in Mexico, though unfortunately little information was preserved. As technology has dramatically improved, she says, scientists should be trying to test more objects that they find on archaeological sites for DNA.