Contrary to popular belief, human beings are constantly evolving. Boosted by migrations and the miscegenationNatural selection continues to favor beneficial genetic variants. This is how protective mutations against malaria have been selected in Latin America and Madagascar over the last millennium. And Europe is no exception: large migrations which have shaped European peoples over the past ten thousand years have resulted in a great deal of genetic mixing, which has given more opportunities for natural selection to act.
A new Harvard study, published on April 15, 2026 in Naturehighlights certain genetic variants that have been subject to positive selection during this period on the continent, largely due to their protective effect against infectious diseases.
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