Summary

Researchers analyzed the 17,000-year-old remains of an Ice Age infant found in a southern Italian cave, uncovering details about his life, ancestry, and cause of death.

The child likely had dark skin, blue eyes, and curly hair, and his genome links him to the Villabruna cluster, an ancient post-Ice Age population.

He died from a genetic heart condition and showed signs of malnutrition and stress, likely linked to his mother’s difficult pregnancy.

This well-preserved skeleton offers rare insights into human life and health during the Last Glacial Maximum.