Ötzi the Iceman's 5,000-year-old microbiome revealed in new study

The 5,000-year-old mummy of Ötzi the Iceman is not a static relic but a 'dynamic biological system' still hosting life, according to a new study published in the journal Microbiome. Researchers from Eurac Research's Institute for Mummy Studies have analyzed the complex ecosystem of microorganisms within the Similaun glacier mummy.

The study successfully differentiated Ötzi's original gut flora, which has largely vanished in modern industrialized humans, from microbes that colonized his body after death. A particularly surprising discovery involves specialized yeasts, similar to Antarctic strains, capable of surviving extreme temperatures. These organisms have persisted for millennia in ice and remain viable even under the current preservation conditions of -6°C at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Interestingly, some of these yeasts appear to have utilized phenol as a nutrient source. Phenol was historically used to disinfect the mummy after its discovery. Beyond their significance for mummy preservation, these findings open new avenues for research. Microorganisms that thrive in low temperatures could potentially be employed in highly energy-efficient industrial processes, such as low-temperature fermentations.