Ancient DNA uncovers ongoing human evolution: lighter skin, red hair, and reduced baldness in West Eurasia

A Nature study analyzing about 16,000 genomes across 18,000 years in West Eurasia shows natural selection acted on hundreds of gene variants, increasing light skin and red hair, boosting resistance to HIV and leprosy, and reducing susceptibility to male-pattern baldness and rheumatoid arthritis. The team’s AGES method reveals that recent human evolution continued beyond prior assumptions, with trait shifts likely tied to changing environments and pathogens; data and methods are openly shared to enable further research.