Ötzi the Iceman, Europe’s most famous mummy, has been found to harbour a handful of cold-adapted yeast species that have remained alive for thousands of years. After his death in the Ötztal Alps, he lay untouched for 5,300 years before being discovered by hikers in 1991. Since then, his body has been subjected to a range of scientific scrutiny, including DNA sequencing and examination of his gut contents.

Mohamed S. Sarhan and his colleagues from the Institute of Mummy Studies at Eurac Research took swabs from various parts of Ötzi’s body, as well as samples from nearby frozen soil, aiming to distinguish ancient microbes from modern contaminants. They discovered that while some bacteria in his gut matched those expected from an ancient, non-Westernized diet, other microorganisms on and around the mummy were still thriving.

These findings challenge our understanding of how long certain organisms can survive in extreme conditions. The study also raises the intriguing question: if microbes can persist for millennia, could we find a way to preserve food indefinitely? Only time—and more research—will tell.