Who speaks for the dead? Rethinking consent in ancient DNA research

By: Victoria Gibbon, University of Cape Town; Jessica C. Thompson, Yale University, and Sianne Alves, University of Cape Town, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 13, 2025

Words: 1,287

Last Updated: 1 week, 4 days ago

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Would you choose to have a part of your body live on after you died? How might your choice affect your relatives – or even your entire community?

The first is a question people face when they donate organs. The second comes up when they participate in genetic research. This is because DNA from even a single individual can reveal a web of relationships, even helping law enforcement to solve crimes committed …

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