Atacama skeleton

{{Short description|Mummified corpse from the Atacama Desert, Chile}}

File:Atacama humanoid, skull profile.png

Ata is the common name given to the {{convert|6|inch|cm|adj=on}} long skeletal remains of a human fetus{{Cite web |last=Reichard |first=Cara |date=20 May 2013 |title=Professor debunks theories of skeleton's alien origins |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/05/20/professor-debunks-theories-of-skeletons-alien-origins/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203162536/https://stanforddaily.com/2013/05/20/professor-debunks-theories-of-skeletons-alien-origins/ |archive-date=3 February 2024 |accessdate=22 September 2016 |website=Stanford Daily}}{{Cite news |last=Rincon |first=Paul |date=22 March 2018 |title=Origin of 'six-inch mummy' confirmed |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43489246 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207141844/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43489246 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |access-date=4 January 2025 |work=BBC}} found in 2003 in the ghost town of La Noria, in the Atacama Desert of Chile. DNA analysis done in 2018 on the premature human fetus identified unusual mutations associated with dwarfism and scoliosis, though these findings were later disputed. The remains were found by Oscar Muñoz, who later sold them; the current owner is Ramón Navia-Osorio, a Spanish businessman.{{cite news |author=Spiegel |first=Lee |date=16 April 2013 |title=Steven Greer 'Sirius' Documentary to Unveil Pictures of Alleged Tiny Space Alien (PHOTOS) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/tiny-chile-alien-backgrou_n_3071767.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204015701/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tiny-chile-alien-backgrou_n_3071767 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 January 2025 |work=Huffington Post}}

Overview

DNA analysis on the premature human fetus identified unusual mutations associated with dwarfism and scoliosis, although other research contested genetic abnormalities, finding that the skeleton showed normal fetal development. There is unfounded speculation by people such as UFO theorist Steven M. Greer that Ata is an extraterrestrial. Such speculation led to Ata's inclusion in the 2013 UFO film Sirius and captured the attention of Stanford University geneticist Garry P. Nolan, who contacted the production team and analyzed the remains of the skeleton.{{cite news |last1=Zimmer |first1=Carl |date=22 March 2018 |title=Was a Tiny Mummy in the Atacama an Alien? No, but the Real Story Is Almost as Strange |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/science/ata-mummy-alien-chile.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103225527/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/science/ata-mummy-alien-chile.html |archive-date=3 January 2025 |accessdate=26 July 2018 |work=The New York Times}} The results of his DNA analysis show the skeleton to be human and not of extraterrestrial origin.{{Cite web |author=Barrabi |first=Thomas |date=1 May 2013 |title=Tiny 'Alien' Skeleton: Tests Reveal 'Atacama Humanoid' from 'Sirius' Documentary Has Human DNA |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/tiny-alien-skeleton-tests-reveal-atacama-humanoid-sirius-documentary-has-human-dna-1229181 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205233737/https://www.ibtimes.com/tiny-alien-skeleton-tests-reveal-atacama-humanoid-sirius-documentary-has-human-dna-1229181 |archive-date=5 February 2024 |accessdate=22 September 2016 |website=International Business Times}}

Analysis

Although initially thought to be older, the fetal remains have been dated to as recently as the late 1970s, and have been found to contain high-quality DNA, suitable for scientific analysis. The remains have an irregularly shaped skull and a total of 10 ribs, as opposed to 12 for adult humans,{{cite web |author=Stone |first=Richard |date=3 May 2013 |title=Bizarre 6-Inch Skeleton Shown to Be Human |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/bizarre-6-inch-skeleton-shown-be-human |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224092805/https://www.science.org/content/article/bizarre-6-inch-skeleton-shown-be-human |archive-date=24 December 2024 |accessdate=7 May 2013 |work=Science |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science}} and potential signs of oxycephaly. Considering that the frontal suture of the skull is very open and the hands and feet not fully ossified, anatomist and paleoanthropologist William Jungers has suggested that it was a human fetus that was born prematurely and died before or shortly after birth. An alternative hypothesis by Nolan is that Ata had a combination of genetic disorders that led to the fetus being aborted before term, and pediatric radiologist Ralph Lachman has said that dwarfism alone could not account for all the features found in the fetus.

During the DNA analysis by Nolan, the B2 mtDNA haplotype group was found in the remains. Haplogroups identify human genetic populations that often are associated distinctly with particular geographic regions around the globe. Combined with the alleles found in the mitochondrial DNA contained in the remains, the findings suggested that Ata is indigenous to the western region of South America.{{cite web |author=Bryner |first=Jeanna |date=29 April 2013 |title=Alien-Looking Skeleton Poses Medical Mystery |url=https://www.livescience.com/29176-alien-looking-skeleton-poses-medical-mystery.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616002733/https://www.livescience.com/29176-alien-looking-skeleton-poses-medical-mystery.html |archive-date=16 June 2024 |accessdate=7 May 2013 |work=Live Science}}

In March 2018, Nolan published additional results, stating that the fetus had a rare bone aging disorder, as well as other genetic mutations in genes associated with dwarfism, scoliosis, and abnormalities in the muscles and skeleton.{{cite web |last=Strickland |first=Ashley |date=22 March 2018 |title=Mystery of 'alien' skeleton solved |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/22/health/atacama-skeleton-mystery/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224232432/https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/22/health/atacama-skeleton-mystery/index.html |archive-date=24 December 2024 |access-date=4 January 2025 |publisher=CNN}}{{cite journal|last1=Bhattacharya|first1=Sanchita|last2=Li|first2=Jian|last3=Sockell|first3=Alexandra|last4=Kan|first4=Matthew J.|last5=Bava|first5=Felice A.|last6=Chen|first6=Shann-Ching|last7=Ávila-Arcos|first7=María C.|last8=Ji|first8=Xuhuai|last9=Smith|first9=Emery|last10=Asadi|first10=Narges B.|last11=Lachman|first11=Ralph S.|last12=Lam|first12=Hugo Y.K.|last13=Bustamante|first13=Carlos D.|last14=Butte|first14=Atul J.|last15=Nolan|first15=Garry P.|title=Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia|journal=Genome Research|volume=28|issue=4|pages=423–431|date=22 March 2018|doi=10.1101/gr.223693.117|pmid=29567674|display-authors=3|url=https://genome.cshlp.org/content/early/2018/03/21/gr.223693.117|pmc=5880234}}{{Cite web |last=Weisberger |first=Mindy |date=22 March 2018 |title=No, It's Not an Alien — Here's What That Tiny, Pointy-Headed Skeleton Really Is |url=https://www.livescience.com/62097-tiny-skeleton-not-alien.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212034937/https://www.livescience.com/62097-tiny-skeleton-not-alien.html |archive-date=12 February 2024 |access-date=4 January 2025 |website=Livescience}} The researchers identified 64 unusual mutations in 7 genes linked to the skeletal system,{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Matthew |date=22 March 2018 |title=This strange ‘alien' skeleton is actually a human fetus with genetic bone defects |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/strange-alien-skeleton-actually-human-fetus-genetic-bone-defects?et_rid=382659176&et_cid=1923796 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210024615/https://www.science.org/content/article/strange-alien-skeleton-actually-human-fetus-genetic-bone-defects?et_rid=382659176&et_cid=1923796 |archive-date=10 December 2024 |access-date=4 January 2025 |website=Science |doi=10.1126/science.aat6685}} and they noted that finding so many mutations that specifically affect skeletal development has never been reported before.{{Cite news |last=Guarino |first=Ben |date=22 March 2018 |title=A tiny skeleton found in Chile might look like an alien, but her genes tell a different story |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/science/ct-chile-skeleton-human-not-alien-20180322-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327123520/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/environment/ct-chile-skeleton-human-not-alien-20180322-story.html |archive-date=27 March 2023 |access-date=22 March 2018 |work=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Check Hayden |first=Erika |author-link=Erika Check Hayden |date=22 March 2018 |title=Tiny Mummy's 'Alien' Appearance Finally Explained |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/chile-mummy-ata-alien-dna |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217232814/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/chile-mummy-ata-alien-dna |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=22 March 2018 |work=National Geographic}}

Controversy

A subsequent study, published in September 2018 by an international research team led by New Zealand's University of Otago Associate Professor of Bioarchaeology Siân Halcrow, questioned the March 2018 study by Nolan, stating: "As experts in human anatomy and skeletal development, we find no evidence for any of the skeletal anomalies claimed by the authors. Their observations of 'anomalies' represent normal skeletal development in the fetus, cranial moulding from delivery, and potential post-mortem taphonomic effects" and that the team was "sceptical" concerning the genomic results. The authors also raised ethical concerns about the work by Nolan, saying that "studies such as these that do not address ethical considerations of the deceased and their descendant communities threaten to undo the decades of work anthropologists and others have put in to correct past colonialist tendencies."{{Cite journal|last1=Halcrow|first1=Siân E.|last2=Killgrove|first2=Kristina|last3=Robbins Schug|first3=Gwen|last4=Knapp|first4=Michael|last5=Huffer|first5=Damien|last6=Arriaza|first6=Bernardo|last7=Jungers|first7=William|last8=Gunter|first8=Jennifer|date=September 2018|title=On engagement with anthropology: A critical evaluation of skeletal and developmental abnormalities in the Atacama preterm baby and issues of forensic and bioarchaeological research ethics. Response to Bhattacharya et al. "Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia" in Genome Research, 2018, 28: 423–431. Doi: 10.1101/gr.223693.117|journal=International Journal of Paleopathology|volume=22|pages=97–100|doi=10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.06.007|pmid=30025270|issn=1879-9817|doi-access=free}}

Genome Research, the publisher of the 2013 study, responded by stating that the ethical standards did not cover work on "specimens of uncertain biological origins, such as the Atacama skeleton", but also stated their intention to review their own policies on such studies.{{cite news |last1=Georgiou |first1=Aristos |date=20 July 2018 |title='Alien' Atacama Mummy Genetic Study Findings Raise Serious Concerns |url=https://www.newsweek.com/alien-atacama-mummy-genetic-study-findings-raise-serious-concerns-1034129 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703111448/https://www.newsweek.com/alien-atacama-mummy-genetic-study-findings-raise-serious-concerns-1034129 |archive-date=3 July 2024 |accessdate=20 July 2018 |work=Newsweek |agency=}} The authors of the Genome Research article published a response acknowledging the ethical concerns and calling for the repatriation of the remains. The researchers defended their work by clarifying that no members of the senior authorship team or their laboratories ever handled the skeleton directly, nor were they involved in its acquisition, removal, or export. Instead, they were provided with a small sample of bone (about 1 mm³), removed by the Sirius documentary team in Spain, and their involvement was strictly limited to analysis of that sample, having no responsibility for the actions of previous handlers. They also made it clear that at the start of the research, it was not known that the specimen was human, nor had the age of the skeleton been determined. The researchers emphasized their intention to resolve the controversies surrounding the specimen, rather than perpetuate unethical practices.{{cite journal | last1=Nolan | first1=Garry | last2=Butte | first2=Atul | title=The Atacama skeleton | journal=Genome Research | publisher=Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | volume=28 | issue=5 | date=30 March 2018 | issn=1088-9051 | doi=10.1101/gr.237834.118 | pmid=29602903 | pages=607–608| pmc=5932602 }}

Atacama skeleton

Overview

Analysis

Controversy

See also

References

Further reading