Dr Kindstedt thinks ancient-cheese DNA analysis—of which this may be the first example—could reveal secrets about numerous other cultures. There are dairy residues on 7,000-year-old European pottery, for example, and cheese may also have been used in ancient Egyptian burial rites. Archaeology has never been funkier.

Discover the 3,600-year-old origins of kefir as scientists analyze DNA from ancient cheese, revealing insights into probiotic evolution.

Scientists in China retrieved kefir cheese from mummies dating back 3,500 years. The cheese was made from goat's milk and provides insights into ancient civilization.

For the first time, scientists have successfully extracted and analyzed DNA from ancient cheese samples discovered alongside the 3,600-year-old Tarim Basin mummies in China. This groundbreaking research provides new insights into the origins of kefir cheese,

When the 3,600-year-old coffin of a young woman was excavated in northwestern China two decades ago, archeologists discovered a mysterious substance laid out along her neck like a piece of jewelry.

These small lumps of fermented dairy, laid around the necks of the deceased, represent the longest-aged cheese ever discovered–at about 3,500 years old. Not only is the ancient cheese incredibly well-preserved,

When researchers tested a mysterious substance on the heads and necks of ancient mummies found in China's Tarim Basin, they discovered that it was the world's oldest cheese.