Norse code.
The use of genetic ancestry to trace history and probe events of the past is challenging because ancestries in many locations are relatively similar, making it hard to distinguish groups and populations. In January edition of Nature Magazine, The researchers use a new technique to examine the genomic history of early medieval Europe. This allowed them to track the expansion of two streams of Scandinavian-related ancestry across the continent, as well a later stream of ancestry expanding into Scandinavia before the Viking Age (around 750–1050). The cover is inspired by the serpentine carvings found on Viking Age runestones and features the Elder Futhark runes for the DNA nucleotides A, T, G and C (K). — show less

Cover image: Art by Oliver Uberti. (Stone texture: © Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio/Adobe Stock)