South Tyrol Museum of ArchaeologyA trove of prehistoric microbes have been found in the mummified body of tzi the Iceman.tzi the Iceman may have died 5,300 years ago, but the mummy is still bringing forth new life today. A recent study of the microbes in and on tzis body discovered four strains of yeast that scientists believe have been part of his corpse for millennia.They were able to cultivate the yeast and they even made very good sourdough bread with it. Whats more, the study of tzis microbiome is providing rare insight into the diets of people who lived during the Copper Age.Discovering Yeast In tzi The Icemans 5,300-Year-Old CorpseThe body of tzi the Iceman was discovered by two German hikers in northern Italys tzal Alps in 1991. The mummified corpse had been frozen in a glacier for more than 5,000 years, and it was remarkably well preserved.Getty ImagesTwo German hikers observe tzi in the glacier where they found him before he could be removed.Scientists have been studying tzi ever since. Theyve determined that he was in his 40s when he died around 3230 B.C.E. and he was seemingly murdered by someone who shot him in the back with an arrow.In 2019, a team from Eurac Research Institute for Mummy Studies began analyzing tzis microbiome, swabbing his skin and glacial water that had melted inside his body over the years. They identified various types of bacteria, but one discovery surprised them: What we didnt expect to find was yeast, lead study author Mohamed Sarhan told the Agence France-Presse (AFP).The scientists discovered at least four different strains of yeast that have adapted to survive in cold environments, like the refrigerator where tzi is kept. Some of these strains are typically found in frigid areas like Antarctica, so researchers believe that they came from the glacier where tzi was found, entered his body shortly after his death, and have lived within him ever since.Eurac Research InstituteThe yeast cultivated from tzis corpse.We see continuity here, study co-author Frank Maixner said in a statement released by the Eurac Research Institute. These yeasts have accompanied tzi on his long journey through the millennia.This discovery also raised unexpected questions. If you tell anyone you have yeast, Sarhan told the AFP, they immediately ask: can we use it for bread?So, the scientists decided to find out. We tried to make a sourdough starter with it, Sarhan explained in the Eurac statement. At first, the yeast hadnt yet adapted to the flour environment, so nothing happened at all Eventually, we obtained a completely normal dough that rose within 24 hours basically just like ordinary yeast. We made some really good dough with it.The researchers then transformed tzi the Icemans yeast into sourdough bread. Ive never baked bread before, said Sarhan, and it showed. So the result definitely had room for improvement.Next, they hope to make beer from the prehistoric microbes. But in the meantime, the results of their study recently published in the journal Microbiome are contributing to research in other areas.The Implications Of This Microbial Analysis Of tziTo preserve tzis body over the decades, scientists have applied a chemical called phenol to stop fungus from growing. However, three of the yeast strains found in tzis body have seemingly been eating the phenol.This discovery has implications for far-flung fields: This specific yeast could potentially be used in the future to break down highly toxic phenol after lab accidents or environmental spills.Eurac Research InstituteMohamed Sahran studies the microbes from tzi the Iceman.Whats more, an analysis of tzi the Icemans gut microbiome revealed similarities to the guts of modern humans who live in remote societies, like the Hadza people of Tanzania and tribes in northern Madagascar. This suggests that their diets were fairly similar.A previous study found that tzis last meal consisted of ibex, deer, and an ancient wheat called einkorn. Like todays non-Westernized cultures, he ate more fiber and whole grains than people in industrialized civilizations. Knowing what Copper Age humans consumed tells scientists how prehistoric people fueled themselves and provides insight into how our diets have changed over time.Together, researchers say, these discoveries reveal that tzi the Iceman is not a biologically frozen time-capsule but rather a complex ecosystem.After reading about the yeast found in the body of tzi the Iceman, learn the stories of nine of historys most chilling mummies. Then, discover how tzi the Iceman helped researchers learn new information about HPV.The post Scientists Just Used Yeast From tzi The Icemans 5,300-Year-Old Corpse To Make Sourdough Bread appeared first on All That's Interesting.