Researchers at Eurac Research have obtained a detailed picture of the microbial community associated with Ötzi, Europe's oldest known natural human mummy. The study provides insights into a complex microbiome, ranging from the gut flora of a Copper Age human to cold-adapted yeasts.

Using a variety of samples and methods, the researchers were able to differentiate which microorganisms were already present in the body during his lifetime and which only colonized it after his death—both during the time in the glacier and over three decades of preservation. In samples of internal tissue, the team was able to detect genetic material from bacteria belonging to Ötzi's original gut flora.

https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tzi-iceman-microbiome-year-relationship.html