The Shroud of Turin is a biological mess—it’s covered in DNA from everything from Mediterranean coral to bananas.
March 23, 2026
Original Paper
DNA Traces on the Shroud of Turin: Metagenomics of the 1978 Official Sample Collection
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.19.712852
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The Takeaway
Researchers analyzed dust and threads from the 1978 sample collection and discovered a complex 'tapestry' of environmental interactions. They identified DNA from exotic plants like bananas and peanuts alongside genetic markers from the Druze people of the Near East, providing a scientific window into the artifact's long history of human and environmental contact.
From the abstract
This research provides original insights into the diversity of DNA extracted from samples collected in 1978 from the Turin Shroud, revealing its biological complexity through rigorous DNA and metagenomic analyses. Our findings highlight its preservation conditions and environmental interactions, offering valuable perspectives into the identified genetic variants, which originated from multiple biological sources. Several human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages were identified, including K1a1b1a