Saturday DNA! Virtual Lab: Pollen Tells a Story

Activity description:

Discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991, the 5300-year-old mummy nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman has become an important source of information about the Neolithic. Still, there are many unanswered questions about his life and death. Join us to discover how pollen in Ötzi’s digestive system was used as a forensic tool to create a timeline of where he may have been in the final 36 hours before his untimely demise.

In this 1-hour session, you will:

• learn how to use a compound microscope;
• explore how pollen can be used to track an individual’s location;
• discuss theories about Ötzi’s untimely death; and
• use pollen to solve a mystery.