Christina Warinner: Tracking ancient diseases using ... plaque

The video discusses the study of dental plaque, particularly dental calculus, to understand the evolution of human health and disease. The speaker, an archeological geneticist, explains the challenges of studying ancient health through skeletal remains and introduces dental calculus as a valuable resource. By applying genetic and proteomic technologies, researchers can analyze DNA and proteins in dental calculus to gain insights into ancient diets, infections, and immune responses. The findings help reconstruct the evolutionary history of human health and disease, offering a deeper understanding of how pathogens evolve and affect us today.

What role do diet, microbes, and parasites play in the health challenges faced by humans today?

In what ways does the environment today differ from the environments in which our ancestors evolved?

Why is it important to consider a holistic approach to human health in the past?