Micro-CT Scans Don't Damage Ancient DNA, Bonn Study Finds
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- University of Bonn led an international team that micro-CT-scanned 50 of 93 petrous bone samples from Argentine archaeological sites (middle-to-late Holocene, 6,000–200 years ago) before molecular analysis, leaving 43 unscanned as controls.
- Dr. Lumila Paula Menéndez of the University of Bonn's Institute for Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology warned that current ancient DNA extraction destroys samples, and noted the petrous bone — the densest, most mineralized part of the human skeleton — has yielded DNA for more than 10,000 prehistoric genomes, nearly half of all sequenced individuals.
- The study compared scanned and unscanned samples across six parameters including endogenous DNA content, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA contamination, and number of readable base pairs, finding no statistically significant differences between the two groups.
- The proposed multi-step workflow begins with a macroscopic condition assessment, proceeds to digital preservation via micro-CT, and only then to sample collection — designed to maximize information obtainable from skeletal collections while minimizing destruction.
- Menéndez framed the method as an answer to ethical concerns around the handling of human remains, arguing for a 'uniform scientific approach' that preserves this 'scientific legacy' for future generations across disciplines.
- The findings were published in PLOS One (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0334682).
Why it matters: The petrous bone is the gold-standard source of ancient DNA, but standard extraction methods destroy the sample — and many such remains are irreplaceable. A validated pre-scanning workflow means researchers can create permanent digital archives of bone morphology and internal structure, leaving a scientific legacy accessible to future studies even after the physical sample is consumed for DNA.
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