Ancient iceman's gene map underway

Otzi, the 5,000-year-old frozen mummy, undergoes modern genetic mapping this year, an international team announced Tuesday.

Members of the team that recently completed gene maps of Egyptian pharaoh King Tutankhamun's family will join with gene sequencing expert Andreas Keller to create a biomedical gene map of the famous iceman, discovered by Alpine hikers in 1991, linking his lineage to diseases and cell biology.

"We are dealing here with old DNA which in addition is heavily fragmented", says Albert Zink of the EURAC Institute for Mummies, in a statement. "It was only by using the very latest technology with its low failure rate that we scientists were able to decode Ötzi's DNA in its entirety within this short space of time."

A look at Otzi's maternal DNA in a 2008 Current Biology report found no links between the iceman, killed by flint arrowhead fired into his back, and modern Europeans. The team hopes to find more about possible living relatives from the enhanced genetic map and look for signs of changes in human genes since Otzi's death.

Mummy tummies the shape of things to come

Bronzed and beautiful, mums-to-be are throwing off the maternity garb and celebrating their baby bumps.
And women who have gone through an arduous journey with IVF are the latest fans of belly casting.
Nicole Shulman, co-owner of Melbourne business Belly Art, said these women in particular were keen to document every moment of their pregnancies.
"In the past two years we have been getting a lot of people who have gone through a long journey with IVF," Ms Shulman said.
"They have tried so hard for so long to get pregnant that they want to immortalise every step.
"For other people, they might have had three children and realise this is their last time being pregnant."
The business, which has been casting pregnant bellies for eight years, says the latest trend is a bronze finish plaster cast. And the bigger the bump, the better.
While many women would rather hide under a rock than show off their pregnant figure, Ms Shulman said women were waiting until as late as 40 weeks to be cast.
"Thankfully no one has given birth yet while we've been doing it," she said.
"The bronze ones look more like a sculptural piece."
They are hung as art on walls, children's rooms, in offices and even cafes, but Ms Shulman admits they are not to everyone's taste.
Mother of two Miranda Caciolo, 37, was so keen to preserve her pregnant shape she was cast from her thighs to her neck.
"If you are confident about your body, it should be something to show off," she said.
"I think I had a great shape when I was pregnant."