Gut Microbiome Analysis Links Populations in Africa and South America
Researchers from UCSB and Stanford have discovered that the gut microbiomes of the Tsimané people in Bolivia and the Hadza people in Tanzania share over 1,200 bacterial species. This suggests that these specific microbes may have been carried by human ancestors during global migrations.
Why it matters
Understanding the 'core' human microbiome provides insights into human evolutionary history and how modern industrialized diets have altered our internal biological ecosystems.
Share to Facebook Share to X Share via Email Copy permalink to clipboard https://archaeology.org/news/2026/10/09/gut-microbiome-analysis-links-populations-in-africa-and-south-america/ Copied to clipboard SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA—According to a statement released by the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) , a study conducted by scientists from UCSB and Stanford University has determined that the forager-farmer Tsimané people of lowland Bolivia and the hunter-gatherer Hadza people of Tanzania have highly diverse yet similar gut microbiomes, sharing more than 1,200 bacterial species. More than 60 percent of these bacterial species are rare or absent in the microbiomes of people living in industrialized populations. The researchers were surprised because the Hadza consume mammals, birds, fish, and foraged fruits and vegetables, while the Tsimané eat more fiber in the form of plantains, rice, manioc root, and corn, in addition to fish, peccary, and other mammals.
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