LogFAQs > #931741649

its wild that from an old piece of gum they can extract DNA and gather enough information to decipher enough potential physical traits to determine what the person who chewed it might have looked like...that just doesn't seem like it should be possible but it is. I know its not an exact representation that was drawn, but basic traits were hypothesized based on something that was chewed nearly 6,000 years ago...its crazy.

The gums water-resistant properties helped to preserve the DNA within, as did its mild antiseptic properties which helped to prevent microbial decay. But the find was also made possible by the conditions at the site, named Syltholm, on an island in southern Denmark, where thick mud has perfectly preserved a wide range of unique Stone Age artifacts. Excavations began at the site in 2012 in preparation for the construction of a tunnel, affording the Museum Lolland-Falster a unique chance for archaeological field work.The gums water-resistant properties helped to preserve the DNA within, as did its mild antiseptic properties which helped to prevent microbial decay. But the find was also made possible by the conditions at the site, named Syltholm, on an island in southern Denmark, where thick mud has perfectly preserved a wide range of unique Stone Age artifacts. Excavations began at the site in 2012 in preparation for the construction of a tunnel, affording the Museum Lolland-Falster a unique chance for archaeological field work.