As of this study, more than half of published ancient DNA data from the Americas comes from the Caribbean. Population sizeThanks in part to the large number of DNA samples available, the researchers were able to estimate ancient Caribbean population sizes before the arrival of Europeans. The finding demonstrates the power of ancient DNA to challenge our understanding of human history and prehistory. Precontact Caribbean populations left genetic traces that remain in present-day Caribbean peoples, the team found — confirming that Indigenous Caribbean DNA has persisted in the region for thousands of years. “First in the Pacific and now in the Caribbean, ancient DNA has revealed how prehistoric seafaring human societies explored and colonized new regions,” said co-senior author Ron Pinhasi of the University of Vienna.
