Scientists have identified a long-lost group of hunter-gatherers who vanished from Colombia’s highlands 2,000 years ago, reshaping our understanding of ancient human migrations in South America.
A groundbreaking DNA analysis has revealed traces of a previously unknown indigenous population that lived in what is now Colombia—and vanished thousands of years ago without leaving a genetic legacy. The findings, published in Science Advances, suggest a complete population turnover in the Colombian Andes, where today’s capital, Bogotá, now stands.
Researchers analyzed ancient DNA from 21 human skeletons unearthed at five archaeological sites on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, a high plateau in central Colombia. These included samples from different time periods, ranging from early hunter-gatherers who lived 6,000 years ago to more recent indigenous groups from just over 500 years ago.
The study found that the earliest group—hunter-gatherers who inhabited the Checua site 6,000 years ago—had unique genetic signatures that disappeared entirely around 4,000 years ago. “We have not been able to find any descendants of these early hunter-gatherers from the Colombian Highlands,” researchers noted. “That means there has been a complete population exchange around Bogotá.”
Later populations, including those from the Herrera and Muisca cultures, show genetic ties to groups that likely migrated from Central America, bringing with them new technologies such as ceramics. This suggests a major cultural and demographic shift took place between 6,000 and 2,000 years ago.
The Herrera period, beginning around 2,800 years ago, saw the rise of pottery and more complex settlement patterns. However, how these innovations reached the highlands had remained unclear until now. The genetic evidence strongly supports the theory that migrating populations introduced these cultural changes—replacing the earlier indigenous group entirely.
This study not only uncovers a lost chapter of human history in South America but also challenges long-held assumptions about cultural continuity among indigenous communities in the Andes.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday voiced deep concern over the escalating tensions following the United States’ military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling on all sides to prioritize diplomacy over confrontation.
The Pentagon concluded a high-stakes press briefing Saturday afternoon following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, outlining the scale and success of the mission while stressing the door remains open to diplomacy.
Türkiye has voiced strong concern following the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, warning that the action could dangerously escalate the conflict and trigger a global crisis.
Global investors are bracing for significant market turmoil when trading reopens, with analysts predicting a sharp spike in oil prices and a flight to safe-haven assets following the United States' announcement of military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday issued a stark condemnation of the United States following overnight military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring that Washington had crossed a "very big red line" and would be held "fully responsible" for the consequences.
Gulf states hosting major U.S. military bases were placed on high alert Sunday after American airstrikes destroyed Iran’s main nuclear sites, raising fears of regional retaliation and a broader conflict that could engulf key energy exporters and destabilise global security.
Senior Russian officials have condemned the United States’ recent military strikes on Iran, warning of a spiralling regional conflict and accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of igniting a "new war" that could backfire by strengthening Iran's leadership.
The United States has clarified that its recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were not intended to overthrow the Iranian government, but to neutralise what it described as urgent threats to national security, amid rising tensions and fears of broader regional conflict.
Iran's top security body, the SNSC, will decide on closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas chokepoint, after parliament's reported approval. A Revolutionary Guards commander stated the measure is "on the agenda," signaling escalating tensions.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday voiced deep concern over the escalating tensions following the United States’ military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling on all sides to prioritize diplomacy over confrontation.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
Pope Leo XIV spoke to political leaders in Rome on Saturday, urging them to remember that artificial intelligence is just a tool — not a replacement for humans.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined an ambitious vision for human settlements in space by 2040, with autonomous “space oases” on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
In what experts are calling the most extensive data breach in digital history, nearly 16 billion user records have been compromised globally, according to a new investigative report by Cybernews.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has alleged that Meta Platforms offered signing bonuses as high as $100 million to OpenAI employees in an attempt to recruit top talent, underscoring the intensifying competition among tech firms for artificial intelligence expertise.
Gulf states hosting major U.S. military bases were placed on high alert Sunday after American airstrikes destroyed Iran’s main nuclear sites, raising fears of regional retaliation and a broader conflict that could engulf key energy exporters and destabilise global security.
Senior Russian officials have condemned the United States’ recent military strikes on Iran, warning of a spiralling regional conflict and accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of igniting a "new war" that could backfire by strengthening Iran's leadership.
The United States has clarified that its recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were not intended to overthrow the Iranian government, but to neutralise what it described as urgent threats to national security, amid rising tensions and fears of broader regional conflict.
Iran's top security body, the SNSC, will decide on closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas chokepoint, after parliament's reported approval. A Revolutionary Guards commander stated the measure is "on the agenda," signaling escalating tensions.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday voiced deep concern over the escalating tensions following the United States’ military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling on all sides to prioritize diplomacy over confrontation.
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