Cold-adapted yeast found still alive inside Otzi the Iceman 5300 years after landing on the glacier, Eurac Research study
Cold-adapted yeast that landed on a glacier over 5,300 years ago is still alive, dormant, inside Otzi the Iceman's body. Eurac Research separated it from modern microbes introduced since his 1991 discovery. Published in the journal Microbiome. Source: ScienceDaily, CNN.
Researchers at Eurac Research have produced a detailed picture of the microbiome carried by Otzi the Iceman, Europe's oldest known natural human mummy, who died in the Alps roughly 5,300 years ago and was discovered in 1991. Using multiple sampling techniques, the team distinguished microbes that lived inside Otzi during his lifetime from modern microorganisms introduced since his body was found. Genetic material recovered from internal tissue included bacteria that were part of his original gut flora. The researchers also made an unexpected discovery: cold-adapted yeast species that likely came from the glacier where Otzi's body was preserved. The yeast's natural resistance to cold kept it dormant but alive, and researchers say it remains capable of reviving even after thousands of years. The team noted that cold-adapted microorganisms of this kind could have industrial applications, including energy-efficient, low-temperature fermentation processes. The findings were published in the journal Microbiome in 2026. Source: ScienceDaily, CNN, phys.org.