Name: Tracking ancient diseases using ... plaque
Uploaded: 2012-04-20T15:13:02Z
Duration: 5 min 14 s
Description: Imagine what we could learn about diseases by studying the history of human disease, from ancient hominids to the present. But how? TED Fellow Christina Warinner is an achaeological geneticist, and she's found a spectacular new tool -- the microbial DNA in fossilized dental plaque.

Imagine what we could learn about diseases by studying the history of human disease, from ancient hominids to the present. But how? TED Fellow Christina Warinner is an achaeological geneticist, and she's found a spectacular new tool -- the microbial DNA in fossilized dental plaque.

Tracking ancient diseases using ... plaque

Fossilized dental plaque, or dental calculus, is a rich archive of ancient health information. Researchers have discovered that this substance preserves DNA and proteins from bacteria, diet, and the human immune system, sometimes in quantities up to 600 milligrams on ancient teeth. By studying these traces, scientists can reconstruct the dynamic interplay of diet, infection, and immunity over thousands of years. This approach moves beyond bones and mummies, offering a new window into the evolutionary roots of modern disease.

Fossilized Dental Plaque Reveals Secrets Of Ancient Disease

TED Fellows

ancient world

bacteria

evolution

medicine

paleontology

science

biology

anthropology

disease

food

genetics

history

health

innovation

TED Stage Talk

Christina Warinner: Tracking ancient diseases using ... plaque