Christina Warinner is a researcher at the University of Zurich, where she studies how humans have co-evolved with environments, diets and disease.

Why you should listen

Tna analyzes DNA from the bones and teeth of ancient people to study human evolution in response to changes in infectious disease, diet and the environment over the last 10,000 years. Using samples from ancient skeletons and mummies, she investigates how and why lactase persistence, alcohol intolerance and HIv-resistance have evolved in different populations around the world. As an archaeogeneticist, she’s particularly interested in bridging the gap between archaeology, anthropology and the biomedical sciences.

Christina Warinner’s TED talk