Key Takeaways
- A six-inch humanoid skeleton found in Chile in 2003, dubbed "Atacama skeleton," sparked alien speculation due to its unusual appearance.
- Initial DNA testing by microbiologist Gary Nolan confirmed the remains are human, ruling out an alien origin.
- A March 2018 study identified the skeleton as a young girl, likely stillborn, with multiple genetic mutations.
- Chilean archaeological and anthropological societies condemned the study as unethical and illegal for lacking authorization.
- The skeleton remains in Spain with a UFO enthusiast and has not been returned to Chile.
Deep Dive
- The "Atacama skeleton," a roughly six-inch humanoid fossil with a conical skull and 10 pairs of ribs, was discovered in 2003.
- It was found in La Noria, a former mining town in Chile's Atacama Desert, an arid environment conducive to natural mummification.
- Treasure hunter Oscar Muñoz reportedly found the skeleton in an abandoned building, though skeptics suggest it was excavated from a burial site.
- The Atacama skeleton was sold to Ramon Navia Osorio, president of a UFO enthusiast organization.
- Navia Osorio met with prominent ufologist Stephen Greer, who sought to investigate the skeleton and requested a tissue sample.
- Greer later contacted Osorio to extract DNA from the skeleton for his documentary 'Sirius'.
- Microbiologist Gary Nolan offered to run genomic tests for Greer's documentary, performing subsequent analysis.
- Genomic tests revealed the DNA was human, modern, and high-quality, ruling out an alien origin for the skeleton.
- A March 2018 study published in 'Genome Research' concluded the skeleton belonged to a young girl, likely stillborn, with multiple genetic mutations.
- The skeleton is estimated to be less than 500 years old, indicating a relatively recent origin.
- The Chilean Society of Biological Anthropology and the Chilean Association of Archaeologists condemned the 2018 study as unethical and illegal under Chilean law.
- They demanded the return of the remains to Chile due to the lack of proper authorization for its study and removal.
- Gary Nolan's group acknowledged the ethical lapse but stated they only handled a small bone sample.
- The remains have not been returned to Chile and are currently with Ramon Navia Osorio in Spain; Stephen Greer reportedly disputes the human origin findings.