Paleogeneticists analyzed the DNA of twelve individuals extracted from a recently discovered Saka burial mound in Kyrgyzstan. This burial mound dates back to the 4th–2nd centuries BCE. During the study, they managed to read the genomes of nine individuals, establishing the presence of relatives of the second and third degree among them.
The analysis showed that a significant portion of the ancestors of these people trace back to earlier nomadic groups inhabiting the territories of Kazakhstan or Western Siberia. In the 1st millennium BCE, the Eurasian steppe was an arena for numerous tribes and cultures, including the Saka—Iranian-speaking nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes who lived in the territory of modern Kazakhstan and other regions of Central Asia.
In 2022, ancient burials were discovered during the construction of a railway line between Balykchy and Kochkor in Kyrgyzstan. Archaeologists involved in excavations in the mountainous area near Lake Issyk-Kul. Researchers believe that representatives of the local nobility might have been buried here in the 4th–2nd centuries BCE. The Boz-Barmak burial mound consisted of a series of kurgan mounds, with diameters ranging from 7 to 14 meters and heights reaching about one meter. Unfortunately, most of these burials were looted.
A team of scientists from Austria, Kyrgyzstan, and the USA, led by Martin Kulvilim from the University of Vienna, presented the results of the genetic analysis. Samples from 12 people were selected, allowing for the reading of nine low-coverage genomes (from 0.1 to 1.4 times). Among those selected were six women and three men. The analysis revealed three pairs of second-degree relatives (e.g., uncle and nephew) and three pairs of third-degree relatives (e.g., cousins), but no first-degree pairs were found. The absence of long homozygous segments in most indicates that marriages between close relatives were not common, although in three cases, the parents of the individuals were likely fourth or fifth cousins.
The study of uniparental markers showed that all individuals had different mitochondrial haplogroups. Three men shared the same Y-chromosome haplogroup R1a1a1b2, which is frequently found among Kyrgyz and Tajiks in modern populations. High mitochondrial and low Y-chromosome diversity indicated the patrilocality of the Saka during the Early Iron Age in the Issyk-Kul region.
Using the principal component analysis method, which included two individuals with the best genome coverage, it was found that they are similar to ancient populations of Central Asia and Siberia, particularly to earlier Iron Age populations from Kazakhstan. Origin modeling using the qpAdm program showed that six out of seven genomes can be derived from a single ancestral component—the Sargat culture population, which existed in Western Siberia during the Scythian period. Furthermore, the ancestors of all three of the seven people can be modeled from the Kimmeryans.
Considering both sources of origin, the main contribution comes from the Kimmeryans, bearers of the Sargat culture, or ancient nomads from the steppes of Central and Northern Kazakhstan, accounting for 75 to 95 percent in various models. The remaining part of the genomes may be related to the Bronze Age populations of Turkmenistan or Tajikistan, where the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (Oxa civilization) was located.
The text also mentions a case from Uzbekistan where a bronze cauldron of ancient nomads, dating to the 2nd–1st centuries BCE, was used for a long time by a rural school director without knowing its historical value. Data on the paleogenetic analysis of Li Keiyun, known as the One-Eyed Dragon, Prince Jin-Wan, who died in the early 10th century CE, are separately provided. Researchers determined that the origin of this Turkic-Shato could be modeled from two components: one lineage traces back to ancient northeastern Asians, and the other to pastoral nomads represented by the Sarmatians. This information was published in the journal Journal of Genetics and Genomics.
Enterprises continue to underestimate the security threats inherent in modern voice networks. Many view voice services merely as ordinary phone calls, ignoring the fact that they are complex IP systems susceptible to the same threats as the company's other digital infrastructure.
According to Peter Bokaba, Network Manager at Centracom, the main danger lies in how easily corporate voice systems can be compromised without basic protection. Bokaba explains that when Voice over IP or PBX devices are hacked, attackers can generate fraudulent calls to expensive international destinations that they control or profit from through revenue-sharing schemes.
He warns that a company that usually pays a monthly bill of R10,000 could suddenly face expenses ten or twenty times higher if the systems are accessed without proper control.
Scammers often use automated scripting tools for multiple login attempts or to exploit open systems on a large scale. After gaining access, they can redirect calls through premium or high-cost international destinations, which quickly increases the costs for the affected organization.
Bokaba notes that while some risks are related to basic vulnerabilities, such as weak credentials or unsecured systems, modern voice infrastructure requires a multi-layered approach to security. On a practical level, enterprises must perform simple but critical tasks, such as regularly updating credentials.
Furthermore, additional controls must be implemented, including encrypted tunnels, IP-based authentication, and network segmentation, so that voice systems are not directly accessible from the public internet. Centracom also emphasizes the importance of proactive monitoring and threshold-based controls that can signal or limit unusual call behavior before significant losses occur. Bokaba adds that it is important to educate companies about what voice fraud is, as many organizations still consider voice a simple service rather than part of their digital attack surface.
Bokaba concludes that the current focus should be on raising awareness of these risks while simultaneously implementing proven protective measures to reduce vulnerability to fraud and unauthorized use. The company asserts that voice security should be viewed not as a niche or emerging discipline, but as a fundamental part of network management, requiring the same operational discipline as any other critical IT system. The ultimate goal, according to Bokaba, is to ensure that what appears to be an ordinary phone call is actually protected as part of a much more complex and valuable network environment.
Researchers discovered that individuals who demonstrate faith in science can also adopt scientific-nature conspiracy theories, such as unfounded skepticism about vaccines or unproven claims regarding environmental phenomena.
An analysis conducted with 843 residents of the United States, and published in the journal Current Psychology, suggests that the way people conceive of scientific progress and the channels through which they obtain information exerts greater influence on these convictions than factors such as educational level.
The survey indicated that perceiving science as the product of isolated geniuses, coupled with frequent consumption of media such as podcasts and documentaries, is linked to a greater predisposition to accept conspiratorial explanations presented with a scientific veneer.
The study, conducted by Michele d’Errico and Taha Yasseri, sought to understand how the appreciation of science can coexist with the acceptance of claims that contradict the scientific method itself. The investigation stemmed from a globally observed contradiction: despite science being viewed as a highly reliable institution by the majority, false information continues to circulate with great force.
The authors argue that the core of the issue lies not only in the degree of trust placed in scientists but also in the public's understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated. For them, some members of the public associate science with external indicators of authority, such as technical terminology, advanced equipment, exact numbers, and academic titles, without necessarily grasping the procedures used to validate discoveries.
The research established a connection between two characteristics: the so-called 'genius mentality,' which attributes major advances to exceptional individuals who challenge the consensus, and the preference for non-formal scientific dissemination sources, such as documentaries and podcasts. Participants with higher scores in these criteria showed a greater inclination to agree with conspiracy theories.
The results observed by the researchers were more significant than variables traditionally linked to such beliefs, such as political stance or education. The survey also revealed that the influence of the notion of the 'lone genius' was more prominent among individuals with low or moderate trust in scientists, while this difference was minimal among those who already had high trust in the scientific community.
According to the researchers, popular representations of science often reinforce a narrative where major discoveries emerge from the actions of a single extraordinary person. Films, biographies, and documentaries tend to portray scientists as figures who face initial resistance, remain firm in their ideas, and are recognized later.
This construction ignores the collective mechanisms that sustain science, such as peer review, experiment replication, debates, and constant revisions. Valid scientific knowledge does not depend solely on a brilliant idea, but rather on shared verification processes.
The authors warn that conspiracy theories can exploit this image of the misunderstood individual to construct a narrative of intellectual superiority. In this context, whoever adopts an alternative explanation begins to see themselves as someone capable of discerning a truth that others ignore.
One case cited in the study involves the Italian chemist Corrado Malanga and the radar researcher Filippo Biondi. In March 2025, both claimed to have located an underground structure beneath the Pyramid of Khafre in Egypt using satellite radar images. Archaeologists refuted this claim, pointing to the technical limitations of this method for detecting structures at considerable depths.
Despite the criticism, Biondi presented his hypothesis in January 2026 on the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, reaching a vast audience. This episode serves, according to the authors, as an illustration of how content with a scientific appearance can gain visibility even when experts question its foundations.
Another aspect emphasized by the researchers is the role of communication platforms and formats. An analysis of 8.7 million publications on the former Twitter platform, now known as X, examined the sharing of considered verified content and found that mentions of scientific elements, such as universities, studies, or scientists, increased the dissemination of these messages.
This effect was particularly noticeable in content classified as low credibility and among users with a more right-leaning political inclination. Thus, the presence of scientific elements can function as a credibility indicator, even when the conveyed information does not meet scientific criteria.
The authors suggest that strategies focused only on correcting incorrect facts may not solve the problem. It is essential to explain more clearly how science builds knowledge and why divergences, revisions, and joint evaluations are part of the process. The suggestion is to empower citizens to understand the origin of scientific information, even without being specialists, allowing them to better assess the quality of evidence and distinguish scientific consensus from mere assertions that use scientific language.
The researchers advise that science teaching should not be limited to presenting ready-made conclusions and theories. It is also recommended to demonstrate the daily functioning of the scientific community, including collaboration, contestation, and shared criteria. Understanding that scientific consensus is built after rigorous analyses helps prevent the interpretation that agreement among experts implies a lack of critical thinking. The ultimate purpose of this study is to decrease susceptibility to future conspiracy theories before they become generalized, strengthening public understanding of the methods that confer reliability to science.
The possibility of sending humans to Mars imposes challenges that go beyond mere space technology. Research conducted at Radboud University in the Netherlands demonstrated that certain pathogenic microorganisms originating from Earth have the capacity to survive, even if for a limited period, under Martian conditions, and they can develop adaptations that increase their infectious potential.
Tommaso Zaccaria presented this study in June 2026. The research focused on the behavior of these organisms under conditions replicating the Martian surface, as well as examining how Martian regolith affects human cells and discussing the implications of these findings for future space exploration.
The findings underscore the need to strengthen planetary protection protocols, suggesting that both maintaining astronaut health and preventing contamination of other worlds must receive greater focus in the next phases of exploration.
The initial phase of the work analyzed four disease-causing microorganisms, including one responsible for pneumonia. Scientists recreated typical Martian characteristics in the laboratory, such as very low atmospheric pressure, lack of humidity, high ultraviolet radiation, and saline solutions rich in perchlorate, a compound toxic to most known life forms.
The experiments revealed that some of these organisms survived for up to sixteen days when exposed only to desiccation. However, when all Martian conditions were applied together, survival decreased drastically, reaching about one day, demonstrating the combined effect of environmental elements.
Despite this, the research pointed out a crucial observation: Martian regolith, composed of dust and rock fragments, can create small refuges against UV radiation and preserve traces of water. Concurrently, this material contains perchlorate, which constitutes an additional obstacle to microbial survival.
Another notable result was the size reduction observed in some resistant microorganisms. This decrease may complicate their detection by the human immune system. In addition, these bacteria were tested against human immune cells, specifically peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The immune response showed lower production of cytokines and reactive oxygen species, substances vital in combating infectious agents.
The investigation indicates that the surviving microorganisms managed to adjust to this cellular medium. According to the thesis, this adaptation has the potential to increase the pathogenic capacity of these bacteria, a hypothesis considered relevant for future crewed missions to Mars.
Additionally, the study evaluated the potential effects of regolith on living organisms, using Martian and lunar soil simulants on human respiratory tract cells and mice. The tests detected localized inflammation in tissues, increased white blood cell activity, and greater expression of genes linked to mucus production and the onset of pulmonary changes associated with chronic respiratory diseases. It was found that the lunar dust simulant generated more severe effects than the material based on Martian soil containing perchlorates.
The final stage of the research reviewed the planetary protection protocols employed by space agencies in robotic missions, aiming to determine if certain microorganisms could withstand long journeys to more distant regions of the Solar System.
Among the organisms examined, a yeast called Rhodotorula frigidalcoholis exhibited unique behavior. According to the study, it temporarily halted its growth to focus energy on repairing damage to its own DNA, a mechanism that contributed to its resistance in extreme environments.
By consolidating all this data, the thesis expands knowledge about the adaptability of terrestrial microbes in space contexts, providing support both for protecting astronaut health and for improving strategies to prevent the biological contamination of other celestial bodies.
