Scientists have reported the possible discovery of Da Vinci's DNA in the "Holy Child" drawing

Scientists have announced the possible discovery of Leonardo da Vinci's DNA in one of his drawings, which in the future may shed light on the biological characteristics of the Renaissance artist and scientist. This was reported on January 7 in the Daily Mail magazine.

We are talking about the "Holy Child" drawing made in red chalk, which was carefully processed in April 2024 to collect microscopic traces of biological material. In a new scientific paper, researchers claim that the discovered DNA could belong to da Vinci himself and have been preserved on paper for more than 500 years.

For the analysis, the scientists focused on the Y chromosome, a type of DNA transmitted through the male line with virtually no changes. The samples were compared with DNA extracted from a letter written by Leonardo da Vinci's cousin. Both samples allegedly belong to the same genetic group originating from Tuscany— the region where the artist was born.

The authors emphasize that the conclusions are still preliminary. However, a Y-chromosome match may be the first step towards identifying Leonardo da Vinci's genetic material, which was previously considered almost impossible due to the lack of confirmed reference samples.

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According to the co-author of the study, Norberto Gonzalez-Huarbe, a biologist at the University of Maryland, paper has a porous structure and is able to absorb sweat, skin particles, bacteria and DNA, preserving them for centuries. Unlike paintings such as the Mona Lisa, which have been repeatedly cleaned and restored, da Vinci's drawings and drafts have proven to be more promising for analysis.

Scientists suggest that if the DNA really belongs to Leonardo, it may give an idea of how he perceived the world around him. The researchers draw attention to the exceptional accuracy of his sketches, which record movements and phenomena inaccessible to ordinary human vision. In particular, da Vinci managed to depict the flight features of a dragonfly, including the alternating movements of its wings.

In the future, the team plans to sequence the DNA of 14 living descendants of the da Vinci family in the male line and compare it with samples obtained from other drawings and notebooks of the artist. This may bring researchers closer to a definitive answer about the origin of the genetic material.

On December 22, British archaeologists revealed traces of handprints, well-preserved textile fragments and materials with potential DNA traces during a re-examination of a rare Roman burial in a plaster sarcophagus found in York. It was about a stone sarcophagus filled with plaster, dating back to about the II century AD.

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