India, April 17 -- A large study looked at ancient DNA from about 16,000 people who lived over the past 10,000 years in West Eurasia, and found that natural selection has influenced human genes much more than scientists once believed.
By comparing DNA from ancient remains and over 6,000 people today, researchers found strong evidence that human evolution is still ongoing.
They discovered 479 gene changes that were favored by natural selection. These include genes linked to red hair, lighter skin, higher risk of coeliac disease, and genes that reduce the chances of diabetes, baldness, and rheumatoid arthritis. Notably, these traits have become more common over time.
Earlier, scientists had found only about 21 such examples, like the abili...