A major ancient‑DNA time‑series (Akbari et al., Nature 2026) finds directional selection in West Eurasian genomes over the last ~10–14k years, showing rises in allele combinations that modern polygenic scores link to cognitive performance alongside declines in alleles linked to body fat and certain psychiatric risks. The study uses 10,000+ newly generated ancient genomes and a method to distinguish sustained allele‑frequency trends from migration or drift.
— If robust, this reframes public conversations about recent human evolution, polygenic prediction, and the social interpretation of genetic differences across populations.
Jake Currie
2026.05.06
60% relevant
Both items document recent, detectable natural selection in human populations driven by cultural/environmental change; the article provides concrete evidence (Quechua mean ~10 AMY copies vs Maya ~6, Nature Communications study, potato domestication ~10,000 years ago) that diet and agriculture can shift allele (or copy‑number) frequencies on short evolutionary timescales, mirroring the broader phenomenon captured by the existing idea.
Davide Piffer
2026.05.06
78% relevant
Both claims use ancient and modern polygenic scores to detect regional selection on complex traits; this article applies the same method to height and island versus mainland contrasts (AADR v66 Height PGS), directly connecting to the broader pattern that selection can shift polygenic trait distributions across space and time.
Steve Stewart-Williams
2026.04.17
100% relevant
The Nature paper by Ali Akbari, David Reich et al. (2026) reporting analysis of 15,836 West Eurasian genomes and statistically significant PGS trends for cognitive performance and body‑fat.