Kinship analysis from ancient genome data uses the patterns of genetic variants shared between individuals to calculate relatedness coefficients.

For pairs that share a high proportion of genetic variants in specific patterns, the data supports first-degree or second-degree relatedness.

For pairs that share the near-complete genetic identity expected of monozygotic twins, the coefficient approaches one — distinguishing identical twins from all other kinds of relatives.

The Isotopic Architecture of a Diet

The stable isotope analysis that complemented the genomic work in the 2024 study operates through the principle that “you are what you eat” in a specific chemical sense: the ratios of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements in the human body reflect the ratios of those elements in the foods consumed during life.

Carbon stable isotopes, expressed as the ratio of carbon-13 to carbon-12, vary between different categories of food.