Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
@brohrlach.bsky.social
Australian mathematician/statistician living in Leipzig, but working in ancient DNA research at the MPI-EVA.
It's always beer o'clock somewhere.
Personal homepage: https://ben-rohrlach.owlstown.net/
It's always beer o'clock somewhere.
Personal homepage: https://ben-rohrlach.owlstown.net/
Check out a pre-proof of a really fun study that Denice Higgins and I had accepted in Forensic Science International.
We showed that using just the pattern of absence/presence of teeth could be useful (or to support) forensic identification.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We showed that using just the pattern of absence/presence of teeth could be useful (or to support) forensic identification.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Evidentiary value of tooth presence/absence patterns for human identification
Human identification through comparison of dental records is a well-established and widely accepted forensic method, particularly valuable in mass cas…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Check out a pre-proof of a really fun study that Denice Higgins and I had accepted in Forensic Science International.
We showed that using just the pattern of absence/presence of teeth could be useful (or to support) forensic identification.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We showed that using just the pattern of absence/presence of teeth could be useful (or to support) forensic identification.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
I had a great time contributing a new approach to estimating demography by considering the number of observed cases of Down and Edwards syndromes, compared to what might be expected.
I also got to work with some friends/colleagues that I couldn't like or respect more.
doi.org/10.59641/m3p...
I also got to work with some friends/colleagues that I couldn't like or respect more.
doi.org/10.59641/m3p...
A Social Archaeology of Kinship in Iberia and Beyond @ Sidestone Press
The study of kinship from archaeology has been fluctuating. At the end of the 20th century archaeologists were reluctant or skeptical about its relevance and viability. However, in recent decades it h...
doi.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:29 PM
I had a great time contributing a new approach to estimating demography by considering the number of observed cases of Down and Edwards syndromes, compared to what might be expected.
I also got to work with some friends/colleagues that I couldn't like or respect more.
doi.org/10.59641/m3p...
I also got to work with some friends/colleagues that I couldn't like or respect more.
doi.org/10.59641/m3p...
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
As I told the CNN, without details and data it is not possible to assess the claims.
More importantly, the scientific value of this media campaign, balanced against the possible stigmatization of individuals with these real conditions today, is highly questionable. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/s...
More importantly, the scientific value of this media campaign, balanced against the possible stigmatization of individuals with these real conditions today, is highly questionable. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/s...
Researchers say they have verified and sequenced Hitler’s DNA – and found a genetic disorder | CNN
Analysis of Adolf Hitler’s DNA reveals he may have had a rare genetic disorder that can delay puberty.
edition.cnn.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:28 PM
As I told the CNN, without details and data it is not possible to assess the claims.
More importantly, the scientific value of this media campaign, balanced against the possible stigmatization of individuals with these real conditions today, is highly questionable. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/s...
More importantly, the scientific value of this media campaign, balanced against the possible stigmatization of individuals with these real conditions today, is highly questionable. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/s...
Just catching Svante Pääbo, a Nobel laureate, give a talk. That's a cracking start to the day.
November 14, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Just catching Svante Pääbo, a Nobel laureate, give a talk. That's a cracking start to the day.
Wow, giving a talk at the Royal Society in London is such a thrill. I'm going to see so many amazing talks, and hopefully not take away from the overall quality with my own.
Just an amazing place for science and history.
Just an amazing place for science and history.
November 14, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Wow, giving a talk at the Royal Society in London is such a thrill. I'm going to see so many amazing talks, and hopefully not take away from the overall quality with my own.
Just an amazing place for science and history.
Just an amazing place for science and history.
I cannot say this strongly enough, but to the scientific journals out there: please stop making AI assistants for reading papers the default.
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 PM
I cannot say this strongly enough, but to the scientific journals out there: please stop making AI assistants for reading papers the default.
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
🇵🇹Our paper on Portugal's genetic history is now published in Genome Biology. We present Portugal’s largest ancient genome collection, with deeper analyses than our pre-print, revealing migrations, admixture & continuity shorturl.at/TcErC
@acadresearch.bsky.social @dnatimetravel.bsky.social
@acadresearch.bsky.social @dnatimetravel.bsky.social
The genetic history of Portugal over the past 5,000 years - Genome Biology
Background Recent ancient DNA studies uncovering large-scale demographic events in Iberia have presented very limited data for Portugal, a country located at the westernmost edge of continental Eurasi...
shorturl.at
September 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
🇵🇹Our paper on Portugal's genetic history is now published in Genome Biology. We present Portugal’s largest ancient genome collection, with deeper analyses than our pre-print, revealing migrations, admixture & continuity shorturl.at/TcErC
@acadresearch.bsky.social @dnatimetravel.bsky.social
@acadresearch.bsky.social @dnatimetravel.bsky.social
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
Our cross-cultural study on alcohol and its role in the rise of political complexity is finally published 🍻 🎉 (1/5)
🧪 #Alcohol #CulturalEvolution #CulturalComplexity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧪 #Alcohol #CulturalEvolution #CulturalComplexity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Did alcohol facilitate the evolution of complex societies? - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - Did alcohol facilitate the evolution of complex societies?
www.nature.com
July 15, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Our cross-cultural study on alcohol and its role in the rise of political complexity is finally published 🍻 🎉 (1/5)
🧪 #Alcohol #CulturalEvolution #CulturalComplexity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧪 #Alcohol #CulturalEvolution #CulturalComplexity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our paper showing the power of exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to analyse IBD networks is out.
ERGMs perform "network regression" to find variables which predict connectedness, and quantify their effect.
A huge thanks to my co-authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
ERGMs perform "network regression" to find variables which predict connectedness, and quantify their effect.
A huge thanks to my co-authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Detecting and Quantifying Networks of Biological Kinship via Exponential Family Random Graph Models
Genetic relatedness between ancient humans can help to identify close and distant connections between groups and populations, uncovering signatures of demographic histories such as identifying mating ...
www.biorxiv.org
June 28, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Our paper showing the power of exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to analyse IBD networks is out.
ERGMs perform "network regression" to find variables which predict connectedness, and quantify their effect.
A huge thanks to my co-authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
ERGMs perform "network regression" to find variables which predict connectedness, and quantify their effect.
A huge thanks to my co-authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
🧬🧪🏺 Do you work on human #aDNA or #popgen? #HAAMcommunity is looking for new members for the steering committee. It's a great way to contribute to our field, network and lead exciting community projects. It's very rewarding and lots of fun! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
📯 [Announcement]: Open call for new members of the steering committee. We're looking for ambitious people who are interested in shaping the future of the community and being actively involved in our projects.
📖 check our website: haam-community.github.io/news/2025/06...
#aDNA #HAAMcommunity
📖 check our website: haam-community.github.io/news/2025/06...
#aDNA #HAAMcommunity
Open call for new steering committee members · HAAM Community
haam-community.github.io
June 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
🧬🧪🏺 Do you work on human #aDNA or #popgen? #HAAMcommunity is looking for new members for the steering committee. It's a great way to contribute to our field, network and lead exciting community projects. It's very rewarding and lots of fun! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
To be clear, I don't support the US strikes at all. The intelligence FROM THE US categorically denied that Iran were even close to nukes, and US leaders are prolific liars of the laziest kind.
This reeks of Iraq and their phantom weapons of mass destruction.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
This reeks of Iraq and their phantom weapons of mass destruction.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
Australia backs US strikes on Iran while urging return to diplomacy
Anthony Albanese says action to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon was acceptable, but that talks should now resume.
www.abc.net.au
June 23, 2025 at 6:02 AM
To be clear, I don't support the US strikes at all. The intelligence FROM THE US categorically denied that Iran were even close to nukes, and US leaders are prolific liars of the laziest kind.
This reeks of Iraq and their phantom weapons of mass destruction.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
This reeks of Iraq and their phantom weapons of mass destruction.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
The start of the Kiel Conference on Wealth and Inequality in the human past.
Let's go.
Let's go.
June 13, 2025 at 7:16 AM
The start of the Kiel Conference on Wealth and Inequality in the human past.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
Alte #DNA enthüllt Papua-Neuguineas genetische Vergangenheit. Neue Studie von einem intl. Team um Kathrin Nägele @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social zeigt die zentrale Bedeutung der regionalen Ausbreitung & lokalen Interaktionen an der Küste von #Papua-Neuguinea auf. #Genetik www.mpg.de/24827943/060...
Alte DNA enthüllt Papua-Neuguineas genetische Vergangenheit
Eine neue Studie zeigt die zentrale Bedeutung der regionalen Ausbreitung und lokalen Interaktionen an der Küste Papua-Neuguineas
www.mpg.de
June 4, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Alte #DNA enthüllt Papua-Neuguineas genetische Vergangenheit. Neue Studie von einem intl. Team um Kathrin Nägele @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social zeigt die zentrale Bedeutung der regionalen Ausbreitung & lokalen Interaktionen an der Küste von #Papua-Neuguinea auf. #Genetik www.mpg.de/24827943/060...
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
Ancient #DNA reveals #Papua New Guinea's genetic past. Study @natecoevo.nature.com by an intl. team led by Kathrin Nägele @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social shows the significance of regional dispersals & local interactions in coastal Papua New Guinea. tinyurl.com/2s3sc6ad & www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Papua New Guinea's Genetic Past Through Ancient DNA Analysis
A new study reveals the significance of regional dispersals and local interactions in coastal Papua New Guinea
tinyurl.com
June 4, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Ancient #DNA reveals #Papua New Guinea's genetic past. Study @natecoevo.nature.com by an intl. team led by Kathrin Nägele @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social shows the significance of regional dispersals & local interactions in coastal Papua New Guinea. tinyurl.com/2s3sc6ad & www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
🥳 We're back with a new edition of our HAAM-radio webinar series! Come and be part of the development from a reporting scheme for aDNA samples & seqdata!
#aDNA #workshop #humanDNA #sequencing
#aDNA #workshop #humanDNA #sequencing
📣 Our next HAAM-radio focuses on the development of a standardised and dedicated metadata reporting schemes for ancient DNA samples and sequencing data presented by MInAS!
📅 When: 19th of June via ZOOM 🧑💻
Check our website to register: haam-community.github.io/events/2025/...
#aDNA #course #humanDNA
📅 When: 19th of June via ZOOM 🧑💻
Check our website to register: haam-community.github.io/events/2025/...
#aDNA #course #humanDNA
May 13, 2025 at 1:28 PM
🥳 We're back with a new edition of our HAAM-radio webinar series! Come and be part of the development from a reporting scheme for aDNA samples & seqdata!
#aDNA #workshop #humanDNA #sequencing
#aDNA #workshop #humanDNA #sequencing
Today I married my best friend. I'm a lucky man.
May 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Today I married my best friend. I'm a lucky man.
Long after we first had the idea, BREADR has just been published in the Journal of Open Source Software (@joss-openjournals.bsky.social).
A huge thanks to Jono Tuke, Divy Popli and Wolfgang Haak for the support.
#ancientDNA #genetickinship
doi.org/10.21105/jos...
A huge thanks to Jono Tuke, Divy Popli and Wolfgang Haak for the support.
#ancientDNA #genetickinship
doi.org/10.21105/jos...
BREADR: An R Package for the Bayesian Estimation of Genetic Relatedness from Low-coverage Genotype Data
Rohrlach et al., (2025). BREADR: An R Package for the Bayesian Estimation of Genetic Relatedness from Low-coverage Genotype Data. Journal of Open Source Software, 10(108), 7916, https://doi.org/10.211...
doi.org
April 28, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Long after we first had the idea, BREADR has just been published in the Journal of Open Source Software (@joss-openjournals.bsky.social).
A huge thanks to Jono Tuke, Divy Popli and Wolfgang Haak for the support.
#ancientDNA #genetickinship
doi.org/10.21105/jos...
A huge thanks to Jono Tuke, Divy Popli and Wolfgang Haak for the support.
#ancientDNA #genetickinship
doi.org/10.21105/jos...
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
Just published in JOSS: 'BREADR: An R Package for the Bayesian Estimation of Genetic Relatedness from Low-coverage Genotype Data' https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.07916
April 28, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Just published in JOSS: 'BREADR: An R Package for the Bayesian Estimation of Genetic Relatedness from Low-coverage Genotype Data' https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.07916
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
Check out our ancient DNA paper on the maritime Punic civilization! 🦴🧬🌊
We find that their Levantine Phoenician cultural ancestors contributed surprisingly little ancestry to Punic sites in the central and western Mediterranean! (1/4)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#aDNA #PopGen #Punic #Phoenician
We find that their Levantine Phoenician cultural ancestors contributed surprisingly little ancestry to Punic sites in the central and western Mediterranean! (1/4)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#aDNA #PopGen #Punic #Phoenician
April 23, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Check out our ancient DNA paper on the maritime Punic civilization! 🦴🧬🌊
We find that their Levantine Phoenician cultural ancestors contributed surprisingly little ancestry to Punic sites in the central and western Mediterranean! (1/4)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#aDNA #PopGen #Punic #Phoenician
We find that their Levantine Phoenician cultural ancestors contributed surprisingly little ancestry to Punic sites in the central and western Mediterranean! (1/4)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#aDNA #PopGen #Punic #Phoenician
You know, if we want to progress as a society and actually deal with issues like racism and inequality, here's my idea:
Stop electing 80 year old conservatives to positions of power. Just stop.
Stop electing 80 year old conservatives to positions of power. Just stop.
April 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
You know, if we want to progress as a society and actually deal with issues like racism and inequality, here's my idea:
Stop electing 80 year old conservatives to positions of power. Just stop.
Stop electing 80 year old conservatives to positions of power. Just stop.
Reposted by Adam "Ben" Rohrlach
A new Aboriginal-led online genomics research course has launched in Australia!
Designed to educate scientists on the cultural, ethical, and historical context of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, this course is a game-changer for respectful research.
lnkd.in/gH4GtaN3
Designed to educate scientists on the cultural, ethical, and historical context of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, this course is a game-changer for respectful research.
lnkd.in/gH4GtaN3
April 1, 2025 at 8:08 AM
A new Aboriginal-led online genomics research course has launched in Australia!
Designed to educate scientists on the cultural, ethical, and historical context of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, this course is a game-changer for respectful research.
lnkd.in/gH4GtaN3
Designed to educate scientists on the cultural, ethical, and historical context of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, this course is a game-changer for respectful research.
lnkd.in/gH4GtaN3
Absolutely floored that our study on ancient cases of Down and Edwards syndrome was in the top 10 downloaded papers for @naturecomms.bsky.social in 2024. I'm still so happy that people found our work as interesting as we did!
www.nature.com/collections/...
#downsyndrome #edwardssyndrome #trisomy
www.nature.com/collections/...
#downsyndrome #edwardssyndrome #trisomy
Top 25 Life and Biological Sciences Articles of 2024
Browse the 25 most downloaded Nature Communications articles across life and biological sciences published in 2024
www.nature.com
March 20, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Absolutely floored that our study on ancient cases of Down and Edwards syndrome was in the top 10 downloaded papers for @naturecomms.bsky.social in 2024. I'm still so happy that people found our work as interesting as we did!
www.nature.com/collections/...
#downsyndrome #edwardssyndrome #trisomy
www.nature.com/collections/...
#downsyndrome #edwardssyndrome #trisomy
Well, I had a blast! Thanks to ACAD for hosting me. And cheers to @dnatimetravel.bsky.social for the help and the morning tea.
#BREADR #donutsforanhonestdayswork
#BREADR #donutsforanhonestdayswork
February 25, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Well, I had a blast! Thanks to ACAD for hosting me. And cheers to @dnatimetravel.bsky.social for the help and the morning tea.
#BREADR #donutsforanhonestdayswork
#BREADR #donutsforanhonestdayswork
I'm giving a workshop this week on using our (low-coverage) genetic kinship estimator, BREADR, and was thinking about format. Out of interest, do you prefer:
1. An entry-level explanation of the theory.
2. Interactive demo with example data.
3. Help working on your data.
4. All of the above?
1. An entry-level explanation of the theory.
2. Interactive demo with example data.
3. Help working on your data.
4. All of the above?
February 17, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I'm giving a workshop this week on using our (low-coverage) genetic kinship estimator, BREADR, and was thinking about format. Out of interest, do you prefer:
1. An entry-level explanation of the theory.
2. Interactive demo with example data.
3. Help working on your data.
4. All of the above?
1. An entry-level explanation of the theory.
2. Interactive demo with example data.
3. Help working on your data.
4. All of the above?
Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but the fact that I can't easily choose to opt out of AI Overview from a google search means I'm not using google as a search engine anymore. After some 25 years of it being my default.
Does this make me crazy? I just don't need AI in everything I do....
Does this make me crazy? I just don't need AI in everything I do....
February 3, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but the fact that I can't easily choose to opt out of AI Overview from a google search means I'm not using google as a search engine anymore. After some 25 years of it being my default.
Does this make me crazy? I just don't need AI in everything I do....
Does this make me crazy? I just don't need AI in everything I do....