Since his discovery in 1991, Ötzi the “Iceman” — an intact, naturally mummified man believed to have lived in the Italian Alps approximately 5,300 years ago — has captured the international imagination and provided a tantalizing glimpse into life during the Copper Age.
Now, a new research project, which analyzed the genetic composition of bacteria in the Iceman’s stomach, is giving scientists insight into not only the Iceman’s personal life, but the history of human geography at large.
The scientists, who published their study in the journal Science on Thursday, focused on a type of common bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. Found in about two thirds of the world’s population, according to the National Institutes of Health, it usually inhabits the stomach and is capable of causing infections that can lead to ulcers or even stomach cancer.