London – A new study published in Scientific Reports, the peer-reviewed journal of the Nature publishing group, presents the findings of DNA sequencing research conducted on biological traces recovered from the Shroud of Turin. The project, carried out jointly between the University of Padua and the University of Pavia from September 2022 to December 2025, also involved several national and international research institutions. It focused on the official collection of samples taken during the night of October 8–9, 1978, by forensic scientist Pierluigi Baima Bollone. The Shroud—a linen burial cloth bearing the front and back image of a man showing signs of severe physical trauma—has long been the subject of historical, religious and scientific debate. Previous analyses, including the 1988 radiocarbon dating conducted by laboratories in Oxford, Tucson and Zurich, dated the fabric to between 1260 and 1390 CE, a timeframe consistent with the earliest known depiction of the Shroud, the Lirey pilgrim medallion dating from the late 14th to early 15th century. The newly published metagenomic analyses examined DNA extracted from organic residues found on the official samples. Researchers identified complex preservation conditions, extensive environmental contamination and evidence of multiple episodes of human contact accumulated over centuries. Overall, the study provides a significant new contribution to Shroud research by producing a detailed genetic map of the biological traces preserved on the cloth. It documents human genetic lineages consistent with populations from Western Eurasia and the Mediterranean, alongside a wide variety of environmental contaminants, offering a systematic reconstruction of the biological imprint left by centuries of social, cultural and ecological interactions. Alessandro Achilli of the University of Pavia said the team identified a predominant mitochondrial DNA lineage characteristic of Ashkenazi Jewish populations, which also matched that of Professor Baima Bollone, the scientist who collected the samples in 1978. According to Achilli, the presence of keratins and other skin proteins, identified through proteomic analysis, suggests the samples were collected under non-sterile conditions, likely without gloves. Antonio Torroni added that contamination introduced during sampling unfortunately obscured many earlier genetic traces. Even so, researchers identified additional human DNA lineages, including one common across Western Eurasia and another less widespread lineage found primarily in the Middle East, particularly among Druze populations. Researchers at the University of Padua interpreted the metagenomic findings. Andrea Squartini reported a rich microbiome composed of microorganisms typically found on human skin, together with communities of archaea, bacteria and fungi associated with saline environments. Giovanni Gabelli said the team also detected DNA from Mediterranean red coral, cultivated plants — including carrot, wheat, maize, banana and peanut — and domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats, indicating numerous sources of environmental biological contamination. Gianni Barcaccia noted that the identified plant and animal DNA is consistent with contamination occurring relatively recently, no earlier than the Late Middle Ages, and reflects biological exchanges that took place after the voyages of Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus. Barcaccia concluded that these genetic findings complement — rather than replace —existing forensic, historical and radiocarbon evidence by providing new molecular insights into the Shroud's preservation and contamination history. At the same time, he stressed an inherent limitation of metagenomic analysis: the DNA recovered represents the accumulation of biological signals over many centuries and therefore requires caution when attempting to associate individual genetic traces with specific historical events or geographic origins. (9colonne)