Article published on November 11, 2015
Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo is one of the rare and precious breed of great pioneers.
Then only twenty years old, he laid the foundations of an entirely new discipline: paleogenetics (study of ancient DNA).
This modern approach has revolutionized our understanding of the evolution of the human species and confirmed the “Out of Africa” theory, according to which modern man has a recent single origin in Africa.
Now 60 years old, the scientist returns with great humility in a book,
Neanderthal, in search of lost genomes
(Éditions Les Liens Qui Libérez, 384 p.), on his career as a researcher and the great discoveries he has made. carried out with its teams.
LE FIGARO.
- When did you first become interested in ancient DNA?
Svante PÄÄBO.
- Very early on, when I was preparing my thesis in molecular biology, which dealt with the immune system.
I wanted to see if the DNA was as fragile as we...
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