Historical DNA Links Colonial Graves to 1.3 Million Living Relatives and May Have Identified the Colony’s Second Governor

discovermagazine - Learn how researchers used DNA and 23andMe to connect 17th-century Maryland colonists to more than 1.3 million living people and potentially identify the colony’s second governor.

AI Summary: Ancient DNA from a colonial‑era burial site has been analyzed and linked to living descendants, potentially identifying one of the colony’s leaders. Among the finds is an 8‑year‑old African American boy buried with white colonists; researchers report his presence but cannot yet determine whether he was enslaved, prompting fresh questions about social status and burial practices.