Researchers Solve the Mystery of the Atacama ‘Alien’ Mummy
The unusual skeleton sparked rampant speculation, but DNA is helping scientists tease apart the true tale
By Julissa Treviño
smithsonian.com
March 23, 2018 3:39PM
The skeleton looks vaguely human, but is just six inches long. Found in 2003 in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, it has hardened teeth, 10 ribs instead of 12, big eye sockets and an elongated, pointy skull. Since its discovery, the tiny form has sparked curiosity and speculation—and more than a few stories of aliens.
Now, as Carl Zimmer for The New York Times reports, a team of scientists finally know how this tiny mummy came to be. A new study published in Genome Research presents DNA analysis of bone marrow cells from the skeleton. The results suggest that the remains belonged to a child who likely had genetic mutations resulting in a bone disorder that caused the unexpected form.
Read more:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tiny-alien-skeleton-found-chile-was-likely-result-genetic-mutations-180968576/#ScQHXxczvHjQjSxy.99
