Research conducted by a team of Swedish and Polish researchers and published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) seems to confirm the identity of his putative remains as Nicolaus Copernicus. The researchers analyzed strands of hair found in a book once owned by Copernicus and now kept at the Museum Gustavianum, Uppsala University.
"The analysis of several hairs resulted in interpretable profiles for four of the hairs. Of these, two of the hairs have the same profile as the putative remains of Copernicus", said Marie Allen, researcher at Uppsala University.
The Uppsala researchers also conducted tests on a tooth as well as some bone tissue from the putative remains. Results from those analyses, conducted at the Institute of Forensic Research in Karkow, the Museum and Institute of Zoology in Warsaw and the Uppsala laboratory, were identical.
"Although these results points towards the materials being from the same individual, there is a probability of random match", Marie Allen further explained
This Copernicus book in Museum Gustavianum, Uppsala University, contained some hairs that were DNA analyzed.
(Photo Credit: Marie Allen)
The DNA material in this case was limited and also degraded. Therefore, a mitochondrial DNA test was performed, which yields results of relatively low evidentiary value. This test is commonly used in criminal investigations, but as circumstantial evidence to strengthen the case.
"The DNA results should be looked at and evaluated in the light of, and together with the information from other disciplines as the archaeological, anthropological and facial reconstruction data", Marie Allen concluded.
Source: Uppsala University