Bury

A new study of ancient DNA from a megalithic tomb near Paris has uncovered a dramatic population collapse and replacement in Neolithic France around 5,000 years ago. The genetic analysis of 132 individuals buried at the site of Bury, about 50 kilometers north of Paris, shows that the original population was entirely replaced by a new group with distinct genetic ties, offering a striking glimpse into the turbulent events of the Neolithic decline. The research, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, centers on a large megalithic tomb used during two distinct periods, separated by a population decline around 3000 BC. By analyzing the genetic material preserved in the bones, scientists discovered that the two groups buried before and after this