How advanced genetic techniques can unravel complex human stories

Scholars from all over the world are gathering at the University of Cambridge today for a workshop entitled Studia Stemmatologica. They will be looking at novel ways of applying advanced genetic-mapping techniques to the study of cultural traditions as diverse as music and dance, languages and folk lore, tribal rugs and even tattoos. The common strand running through all these spheres is what is known as 'descent with modification' - the evolution of traditions that are handed down from person to person. We try our best to avoid them - but mistakes, or what we think of as mistakes, are part of life. Errors and variations in DNA give us mutations that lead on the one hand to the variation that makes evolution possible and on the other hand to cancers and genetic diseases. Mistakes and changes in texts, languages and other cultural items can alter or even completely corrupt their meaning. The Biblical text 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' famously became 'Thou shalt commit adultery' in the so-called Wicked Bible published in 1631.