{"id":2074,"date":"2026-06-08T14:35:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T14:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=2074"},"modified":"2026-06-08T14:35:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T14:35:48","slug":"otzi-the-iceman-is-long-dead-but-some-of-his-ancient-microbes-are-still-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=2074","title":{"rendered":"\u00d6tzi the Iceman is long dead, but some of his ancient microbes are still alive"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<div> <div>\n<button>\n<strong>\n<span><svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span>Summary<\/span>\n<\/strong>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<\/button>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Scientists discovered that some microbes on \u00d6tzi the Iceman&#8217;s 5,300-year-old mummy remain alive and may still be multiplying.<\/li>\n<li>New DNA analysis found ancient fungi from the Alps colonized his corpse and stayed dormant but viable for millennia.<\/li>\n<li>Researchers found that \u00d6tzi&#8217;s gut contained ancient bacteria extremely rare in modern industrialized populations but still present in traditional societies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<span>AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u00d6tzi the Iceman, the well-preserved and well-studied mummy of a man who died 5,300 years ago, is a \u201cdynamic ecosystem\u201d of microbes, some of which have stayed viable for millennia, according to new research.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=2060\">If stress is wreaking havoc on your gut, late-night snacking may make it worse<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            In a comprehensive DNA analysis of the microbes inside and out of \u00d6tzi\u2019s mummified body, scientists linked several species of fungi to the chilly mountain environment where he died; they likely colonized his corpse and froze with it. The fungi\u2019s natural resistance to cold kept them dormant but still alive and capable of reviving, even after thousands of years, according to research published last week in the journal Microbiome.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            In fact, some of the microbes \u201care not merely dormant relics\u201d but may be multiplying slowly in micropockets of mummy moisture, the study authors reported. This growth suggests that microbial longevity and activity in ancient remains may be greater than once thought and should be taken into account during such remains\u2019 storage and handling, according to the study.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cIn many studies of DNA from ancienthuman remains, the microbial DNA is largely ignored, and it\u2019s often not clear if the microbial DNA that is recovered is as old as the human body itself or more recent contamination,\u201d Anders Bergstr\u00f6m, a researcher in evolutionary genomics at the UK\u2019s University of East Anglia, told CNN in an email. \u201cThis study of \u00d6tzi now provides some fascinating insights into this.\u201d Bergstr\u00f6m was not involved in the new research.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<header>\n<span>\n      Related article\n    <\/span>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Reconstruction of the Iceman by Alfons &amp; Adrie Kennis.\" class=\"wp-image-2068\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/73c2c217932ecbfa46cd488518f405da.jpg\" width=\"256\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Reconstruction of the Iceman by Alfons &amp; Adrie Kennis.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology\/Ochsenreiter<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n<span>\u00d6tzi the Iceman\u2019s true appearance revealed by new DNA analysis<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div>5  min read<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Scientists hypothesized that   \u00d6tzi had no human companions with him when he breathed his last on the frigid \u00d6tztal Alps \u2014 but he wasn\u2019t truly alone. Trillions of microbes populated his living body and lingered in his corpse, including some that came from the site where he died.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThese microbes give us a unique and precious snapshot of what the human gut looked like in the Copper Age, before industrialization reshaped our microbiome,\u201d said senior study author Frank Maixner, head of the Institute for Mummy Studies at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy, where the work on the mummy was conducted.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cWe identified ancient gut bacteria preserved inside \u00d6tzi that are extremely rare in people living modern, industrialized lifestyles today \u2014 though they can still be found in people with traditional, non-industrialized ways of life,\u201d Maixner told CNN in an email.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A reconstruction of \u00d6tzi, who died 5,300 years ago.\" class=\"wp-image-2069\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907539e0bf62bc05b064a9ae5f2a5f42.jpg\" width=\"766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907539e0bf62bc05b064a9ae5f2a5f42.jpg 766w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907539e0bf62bc05b064a9ae5f2a5f42-224x300.jpg 224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>A reconstruction of \u00d6tzi, who died 5,300 years ago.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Augustin Ochsenreiter\/South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            To scientists, \u00d6tzi\u2019s microbes are almost as interesting as \u00d6tzi himself, offering clues about his microbiome and health, and hinting at the diversity of microbial communities in ancient environments.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            But when it comes to preserved organic remains, microbes can also cause problems. For millennia, glacial ice and freezing temperatures protected \u00d6tzi\u2019s body \u2014 and microbes \u2014 from degradation and decay. After hikers discovered the mummy in 1991 along the Austrian-Italian border, the remains were stored at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, where it was frozen at about 21 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 6 degrees Celsius) with 99% relative humidity. These conditions were similar to those in the glacier where \u00d6tzi was found.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            However, scientists recently questioned if that strategy truly kept microbes in check, as some types of microbes are known to thrive in extremely cold environments.   What\u2019s more, handling a mummy exposes it to potential contamination from modern bacteria and fungi, further clouding the picture of its microbial makeup.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<header>\n<span>\n      Related article\n    <\/span>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Reconstruction of the Iceman by Alfons &amp; Adrie Kennis\" class=\"wp-image-2070\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/60d640f2010510fe61d091ab0ea571f2.jpg\" width=\"256\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Reconstruction of the Iceman by Alfons &amp; Adrie Kennis<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology\/Ochsenreiter<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n<span>\u00d6tzi the Iceman\u2019s 61 tattoos weren\u2019t made in the way archaeologists first thought<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div>6  min read<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n        Managing microbes\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            For the new study, scientists conducted a detailed survey of \u00d6tzi\u2019s microbes. They probed water reservoirs inside his body, swabbed the mummy\u2019s exterior and sampled exposed internal tissues. They examined soil taken from underneath the mummy during its 1991 excavation, and they referenced data from samples that were previously collected from deep inside \u00d6tzi\u2019s gut.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The researchers also collected and cultured airborne microbes from the mummy\u2019s storage chamber and from the room where the remains were handled. From their swabs and samples, they were able to culture some of the microbes.   Then, by extracting DNA from viable and nonviable specimens alike and examining the extent of DNA damage, the scientists could identify species of fungi and bacteria and estimate whether they were ancient or modern, teasing out which microbes originated with \u00d6tzi, which likely migrated onto his body after death and which may have been introduced later through handling.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The most common microbes on \u00d6tzi\u2019s surface tissues were the bacteria Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas, which were introduced by humans through modern handling, according to the study. Another type of bacteria, Staphylococcus, was ascribed to the mummy\u2019s microbiome.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=2050\">Exclusive: Political pressure threatens to undercut EPA science evaluating chemical safety for consumers, sources say<\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Microbiologist Mohamed Sarhan examines colonies of yeast taken from a sample of \u00d6tzi\u2019s stomach.\" class=\"wp-image-2071\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a072de42f6e6a63b8839e034912f59f4.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a072de42f6e6a63b8839e034912f59f4.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a072de42f6e6a63b8839e034912f59f4-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Microbiologist Mohamed Sarhan examines colonies of yeast taken from a sample of \u00d6tzi\u2019s stomach.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Andrea De Giovanni\/Eurac Research<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Four yeasts \u2014 Glaciozyma, Goffeauzyma, Mrakia and Phenoliferia \u2014 were found internally and on \u00d6tzi\u2019s exterior. Genetic similarities to cold-adapted fungi found in places such as Antarctica suggested that these were environmental microbes, and their significant DNA damage linked them to \u00d6tzi\u2019s ancient Alps ecosystem.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cOur results provide the baseline for future microbial surveys of the Iceman,\u201d Maixner said. Now that the scientists know which microbes are present, they hope to better understand what these fungi and bacteria are doing and how they might be interacting in the \u201cecosystem\u201d of \u00d6tzi\u2019s body, he explained.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n            One of the yeasts, Glaciozyma, was more abundant on the mummy  than it was in 2010 and showed less DNA damage, suggesting that it could replicate despite the deep freeze of museum storage. And with the exception of Mrakia, the yeasts all had genes enabling them to feed on compounds that were once used to protect ancient remains as well as organic matter. Though the mummy shows no signs of damage, this discovery raises concerns about its future safety and conservation.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The research is \u201can excellent piece of work that combines several study methods,\u201d including two types of genomic sequencing that provided detailed data for the fungi and bacteria, said Ren\u00e9 Cerritos, a research professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, who was not involved in the new research.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThe analysis that I find most interesting is the culture-dependent one,\u201d Cerritos told CNN in an email. \u201cFrom this method, organisms can be recovered, even those as old as 5,300 years.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sarhan examines yeast cells under a microscope&lt;em&gt;.&lt;\/em&gt;\" class=\"wp-image-2072\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b6392265af4ccf286812380d82acd4ef.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b6392265af4ccf286812380d82acd4ef.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b6392265af4ccf286812380d82acd4ef-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Sarhan examines yeast cells under a microscope<em>.<\/em><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Andrea De Giovanni\/Eurac Research<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Still, it may be too soon to rule out that one of those purportedly revived ancient microbes, Staphylococcus, was not acquired through recent contamination, Cerritos added, as the species is common on human skin. Sequencing the sample\u2019s genome and comparing it to DNA in historical and modern strains of Staphylococcus could shed light on its age, he noted.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            In the decades since \u00d6tzi\u2019s discovery, scientists have      pieced together many clues  about his life and violent death, around the age of 46. His last meal included grain, plants and meat from deer and ibex. A deep cut on his hand and an arrow lodged in his shoulder suggest his final days were marked by violence; he likely bled to death from the shoulder wound. He had 61 tattoos, which are among the oldest in the world. Calcium deposits in his heart hinted at cardiac trouble, and his gut contained Helicobacter pylori, a microbe linked to gastric cancer and ulcers.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<header>\n<span>\n      Related article\n    <\/span>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A statue representing an iceman named Oetzi, discovered on 1991 in the Italian Schnal Valley glacier, is displayed at the Archaeological Museu of Bolzano on February 28, 2011 during an official presentation of the reconstrution. Based on three-dimensional images of the mummy's skeleton as well as the latest forensic technology, a new model of the living Oetzi has been created by Dutch experts Alfons and Adrie Kennis. \n    AFP PHOTO \/ Andrea Solero        (Photo credit should read Andrea Solero\/AFP\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-2073\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/f672b8c0fbad8259ac2fbda979cdad33.jpg\" width=\"256\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>A statue representing an iceman named Oetzi, discovered on 1991 in the Italian Schnal Valley glacier, is displayed at the Archaeological Museu of Bolzano on February 28, 2011 during an official presentation of the reconstrution. Based on three-dimensional images of the mummy&#8217;s skeleton as well as the latest forensic technology, a new model of the living Oetzi has been created by Dutch experts Alfons and Adrie Kennis. \n    AFP PHOTO \/ Andrea Solero        (Photo credit should read Andrea Solero\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n<span>Weapons reveal how this 5,300-year-old ice mummy lived \u2014and died<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div>5  min read<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            These new microbial findings could open a door to future insights \u2014 for \u00d6tzi and other specimens from the distant past.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cHopefully similarly careful studies can be performed on a wider range of human and animal remains, in particular on bone tissue which serves as the input material for the vast majority of ancient DNA studies,\u201d Bergstr\u00f6m added.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cBy studying how microbial communities on remains change over time, we can hopefully better understand what microbes were actually present at the time of death of the organism, which is what we are ultimately the most interested in.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n    Mindy Weisberger is a science writer and media producer whose work has appeared in Live Science, Scientific American and How It Works magazine. She is the author of \u201cRise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control\u201d (Hopkins Press).\n<\/p>\n<p>\n    Sign up for CNN\u2019s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.\n<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=2038\">Nithya Raman narrowly leads Spencer Pratt in race for second spot in Los Angeles mayoral race<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The remains of \u00d6tzi the Iceman, who died 5,300 years ago, contain ancient microbes that are still alive, new research finds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,8,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archaeology","category-science","category-unearthed"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u00d6tzi the Iceman is long dead, but some of his ancient microbes are still alive - 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