DNA Study Adds New Clues to the Shroud of Turin Debate

A DNA analysis of fibres from the Shroud of Turin has identified biological traces associated with the Near East and microorganisms linked to salty environments. Researchers say the findings may offer clues about the cloth’s long journey, but do not establish that it belonged to Jesus Christ. The study found human mitochondrial DNA linked to populations in the Near East, alongside bacteria, fungi, plant material and animal traces from several regions. This suggests the linen has been handled and exposed to many environments over centuries. Scientists noted that the evidence cannot date the cloth to the first century or confirm any connection to Jesus’ burial. The Shroud remains a disputed religious artefact, with earlier radiocarbon tests placing it in the medieval period and supporters challenging those results.

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