How much of exceptional human achievement can be attributed to genetics? This longstanding question, originating in the early days of genetic research, seems more approachable today thanks to advanced molecular techniques that allow for the analysis of DNA from historical figures. But how reliable are the conclusions drawn from such methods? To explore this, an international team of researchers, including Fredrik Ullén and other members from the Max Planck Institutes for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, Netherlands, studied Ludwig van Beethoven’s DNA to examine whether his genetic makeup suggested a predisposition for musical talent.
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Original publication
Wesseldijk, L. W., Henechowicz, T. L., Baker, D. J., Bignardi, G., Karlsson, R., Gordon, R. L., Mosing, M. A., Ullén, F., & Fisher, S. E. (2024).
Notes from Beethoven’s Genome.
Current Biology, 34(6), R233–R234.