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The article introduces new paleoanthropological materials from the Mayak burial ground near Sidelkino village in the Samara region into scientific discourse. The materials were obtained as a result of excavations in 1995 and only recently was it possible to date them. As a result of AMS analysis fulfilled by the authors, human remains from two burials were dated back to the Early Mesolithic. The analysis was carried out taking into account the influence of the “reservoir effect.Despite the rather poor preservation of individuals from the two described burials, the authors carried out an osteological analysis of an adult male from the second burial. He turned out to be quite tall, with elongated legs, shortened forearms, saber-shaped tibia and relatively massive bones of the lower limbs. In burial 3, the remains of an adult woman and a child of 7–10 years old were found. Comparing the osteological indicators of the man from the second burial with materials from the same burial ground of excavations in 2002, the authors came to the conclusion that the people whose remains were found on the hill Mayak in 1995 and in 2002 probably belong to the same population. Similar morphological characteristics are proof of this.

A detailed analysis of the inner structure and specific features of mummification and decoration of ancient Egyptian mummy from the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, inventory no. I,1а 1240, has been performed by X-ray computed tomography. The mummy origin and dating are refined using the complementary method of comparative historical study.

An interdisciplinary study of ten ancient Egyptian mummies from the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, which date back to the 1st millennium BCE–beginning of the Common Era, was carried out at the NRC Kurchatov Institute. At the initial stage, they were subjected to computerized tomo-graphy (CT), which became the basis for further research: anthropological, medical, and forensic analysis. For paleogenetic and isotopic analysis, the best-preserved bone tissue samples of mummies based on CT data were taken. The article presents the results of experimental studies that determined the mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal haplogroups of some of the studied mummies, the sex previously established by anthropologists was confirmed, the DNA of certain pathogens were found, and isotope analysis was carried out. The data obtained by natural scientific methods supplement important historical information on the genetic diversity of the population of Ancient Egypt and migration processes in this region.

The bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis gave rise to devastating outbreaks throughout human history, and ancient DNA evidence has shown it afflicted human populations as far back as the Neolithic. Y. pestis genomes recovered from the Eurasian Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (LNBA) period have uncovered key evolutionary steps that led to its emergence from a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-like progenitor; however, the number of reconstructed LNBA genomes are too few to explore its diversity during this critical period of development. Here, we present 17 Y. pestis genomes dating to 5,000 to 2,500 y BP from a wide geographic expanse across Eurasia. This increased dataset enabled us to explore correlations between temporal, geographical, and genetic distance. Our results suggest a nonflea-adapted and potentially extinct single lineage that persisted over millennia without significant parallel diversification, accompanied by rapid dispersal across continents throughout this period, a trend not observed in other pathogens for which ancient genomes are available. A stepwise pattern of gene loss provides further clues on its early evolution and potential adaptation. We also discover the presence of the flea-adapted form of Y. pestis in Bronze Age Iberia, previously only identified in in the Caucasus and the Volga regions, suggesting a much wider geographic spread of this form of Y. pestis. Together, these data reveal the dynamic nature of plague’s formative years in terms of its early evolution and ecology.

Using sub-3-cycle pulses from mode-locked Cr:ZnS lasers at λ ≈ 2.4 µm as a driving source, we performed high-resolution dual-frequency-comb spectroscopy in the longwave infrared (LWIR) range. A duo of highly coherent broadband (6.6–11.4 µm) frequency combs were produced via intrapulse difference frequency generation in zinc germanium phosphide (ZGP) crystals. Fast (up to 0.1 s per spectrum) acquisition of 240,000 comb-mode-resolved data points, spaced by 80 MHz and referenced to a Rb clock, was demonstrated, resulting in metrology grade molecular spectra of N2O (nitrous oxide) and CH3OH (methane). The key to high-speed massive spectral data acquisition was low intensity and phase noise of the LWIR combs and high (7.5%) downconversion efficiency, resulting in a LWIR power of 300 mW for each comb.

Optical frequency combs based on mode-locked Cr:ZnS lasers uniquely combine multi-octave bandwidth, high brightness, and compactness. We demonstrate spectroscopy with dual Cr:ZnS combs accessing 800,000 comb teeth spanning 2000 cm–1 in the middle-IR.

We present recent results on high energy, high repetition rate 1645 nm Er:YAG laser optically pumped by efficient Er-doped CW fiber lasers. Up to 32.5 mJ pulse energy, 0.85 MW-level peak powers are obtained at 1000 Hz. The results are presented in a wide 500-5000 Hz range of repetition rates.

[Significance] The bacterium Yersinia pestis has caused numerous historically documented outbreaks of plague and research using ancient DNA could demonstrate that it already affected human populations during the Neolithic. However, the pathogen’s genetic diversity, geographic spread, and transmission dynamics during this early period of Y. pestis evolution are largely unexplored. Here, we describe a set of ancient plague genomes up to 5,000 y old from across Eurasia. Our data demonstrate that two genetically distinct forms of Y. pestis evolved in parallel and were both distributed across vast geographic distances, potentially occupying different ecological niches. Interpreted within the archeological context, our results suggest that the spread of plague during this period was linked to increased human mobility and intensification of animal husbandry., The bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis gave rise to devastating outbreaks throughout human history, and ancient DNA evidence has shown it afflicted human populations as far back as the Neolithic. Y. pestis genomes recovered from the Eurasian Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (LNBA) period have uncovered key evolutionary steps that led to its emergence from a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-like progenitor; however, the number of reconstructed LNBA genomes are too few to explore its diversity during this critical period of development. Here, we present 17 Y. pestis genomes dating to 5,000 to 2,500 y BP from a wide geographic expanse across Eurasia. This increased dataset enabled us to explore correlations between temporal, geographical, and genetic distance. Our results suggest a nonflea-adapted and potentially extinct single lineage that persisted over millennia without significant parallel diversification, accompanied by rapid dispersal across continents throughout this period, a trend not observed in other pathogens for which ancient genomes are available. A stepwise pattern of gene loss provides further clues on its early evolution and potential adaptation. We also discover the presence of the flea-adapted form of Y. pestis in Bronze Age Iberia, previously only identified in in the Caucasus and the Volga regions, suggesting a much wider geographic spread of this form of Y. pestis. Together, these data reveal the dynamic nature of plague’s formative years in terms of its early evolution and ecology., This study was funded by the Max Planck Society, Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean and the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement 771234 – PALEoRIDER (to W.H.), 856453 – HistoGenes (to J.K.), and 834616 – ARCHCAUCASUS (to S.H.). The Heidelberg Academy of Science financed the genetic and archeological research on human individuals from the Augsburg region within the project WIN Kolleg: “Times of Upheaval: Changes of Society and Landscape at the Beginning of the Bronze Age. M.E. was supported by the award “Praemium Academiae” of the Czech Academy of Sciences. M.D. was supported by the project RVO 67985912 of the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague. I.O. was supported by the Ramón y Cajal grant from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spanish Government (RYC2019-027909-I). A. H€ubner was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under Germany’s Excellence Strategy (EXC 2051 – Project-ID 390713860). J.F.-E. and J.A.M.-A. were supported by the Diputación Foral de Alava, IT 1223-19, Gobierno Vasco. A. Buzhilova was supported by the Center of Information Technologies and Systems (CITIS), Moscow, Russia 121041500329-0. L. M., L.B.D., and E. Khussainova were supported by the Grant AP08856654, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A. Beisenov was supported by the Grant AP08857177, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

We report dual-comb spectroscopy with highly coherent broadband combs spanning 6– 12 µm produced via optical rectification of sub-three-cycle Cr:ZnS laser pulses. Real-time (~1sec) acquisition of broadband molecular spectra with the sub-Doppler resolution was demonstrated.

We present the results of a multidisciplinary study (the fi rst one in Russia) of nine Egyptian mummies owned by the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (Moscow), carried out at the Kurchatov Institute. A detailed description of the methods is provided. X-ray computed tomography is shown to be a highly informative non-destructive technique for studying the 3D structures of mummies. On the basis of the results, plus the conclusions of forensic experts, a detailed anthropological analysis was conducted. Mummifi cation techniques, sex, and age of all individuals were assessed. In three cases, the sex differed from that indicated in the museum inventory. Morphologically, all crania represent varieties of the Mediterranean type. One individual, however, has typically sub-Saharan features. Pathological changes concern mostly the spine and are both age-related and traumatic. In two individuals, spinal pathologies might have caused death.

The aim of this study was to obtain a non-destructive three-dimensional model of the ancient Egyptian mummy skeleton from the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (I,1 1240). The objective of this research was to study the possibility of precise segmentation of bone structures and their separation from the surrounding mummified soft tissues, as well as the reconstruction of destroyed bone fragments according to the preserved shape. With the help of additive technology made all fragments of the skeleton, including the distal phalanx. The digital models and plastic reconstructions of historical artifacts can be used for further research, for example, the biomechanical and morphometric ones, as well as for the purpose of information and education, or as a supplement to the original museum objects.

The advent of chirped-pulse amplification in the 1980s and femtosecond Ti:sapphire lasers in the 1990s enabled transformative advances in intense laser–matter interaction physics. Whereas most of experiments have been conducted in the limited near-infrared range of 0.8–1 μm, theories predict that many physical phenomena such as high harmonic generation in gases favor long laser wavelengths in terms of extending the high-energy cutoff. Significant progress has been made in developing few-cycle, carrier-envelope phase-stabilized, high-peak-power lasers in the 1.6–2 μm range that has laid the foundation for attosecond X ray sources in the water window. Even longer wavelength lasers are becoming available that are suitable to study light filamentation, high harmonic generation, and laser–plasma interaction in the relativistic regime. Long-wavelength lasers are suitable for sub-bandgap strong-field excitation of a wide range of solid materials, including semiconductors. In the strong-field limit, bulk crystals also produce high-order harmonics. In this review, we first introduce several important wavelength scaling laws in strong-field physics, then describe recent breakthroughs in short- (1.4–3 μm), mid- (3–8 μm), and long-wave (8–15 μm) infrared laser technology, and finally provide examples of strong-field applications of these novel lasers. Some of the broadband ultrafast infrared lasers will have profound effects on medicine, environmental protection, and national defense, because their wavelengths cover the water absorption band, the molecular fingerprint region, as well as the atmospheric infrared transparent window.

We report a subharmonic (frequency-divide-by-2) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with a continuous wavelength span of 3 to 12 µm ( − 37 d B level) that covers most of the molecular rovibrational “signature” region. The key to obtaining such a wide spectral span is the use of an OPO with a minimal dispersion—through the choice of intracavity elements, the use of all gold-coated mirrors, and a special “injector” mirror. The system delivers up to 245 mW of the average power with the conversion efficiency exceeding 20% from a 2.35 µm Kerr-lens mode-locked pump laser.

When our human ancestors migrated out of Africa, they faced a considerably harsher climate, but the extent to which human cranial morphology has adapted to climate is still debated. In particular, it remains unclear when such facial adaptations arose in human populations. Here, we explore climate-associated features of face shape in a worldwide modern human sample using 3D geometric morphometrics and a novel application of reduced rank regression. Based on these data, we assess climate adaptations in two crucial Upper Palaeolithic human fossils, Sungir and Mladeč, both of which have been archaeologically associated with a boreal-to-temperate climate. We found several aspects of face shape, especially the relative dimensions of the external and internal nose as well as of the maxillary sinuses, that are strongly associated with temperature and humidity, even after accounting for auto-correlation due to geographical proximity of populations. For these features, both fossils revealed adaptations to a dry environment, with Sungir being strongly associated with cold and Mladeč with warm-to-hot temperatures. As both fossils are dated among the earliest recent modern humans in Europe, our results suggest a relatively fast rate of climate adaptation in human respiratory morphology.

We demonstrate vector solitons in a few-cycle polycrystalline Cr:ZnS oscillator at the middle-IR wavelength 2.4 µm and deploy realistic simulations to identify χ(2) nonlinearity in a polycrystal as the main factor contributing to polarization dynamics.

We present recent results on 1645/1617 nm Er:YAG and 2090 nm Ho:YAG laser systems optically pumped by efficient CW fiber lasers. Multi-mJ pulse energy, MW-level peak powers are obtained in a range of repetition rates.

aDNA reveals Eastern hunter-gatherers in NW Russia after Ice Age, Steppe and farmer ancestries in first forest pastoralists., The transition from Stone to Bronze Age in Central and Western Europe was a period of major population movements originating from the Ponto-Caspian Steppe. Here, we report new genome-wide sequence data from 30 individuals north of this area, from the understudied western part of present-day Russia, including 3 Stone Age hunter-gatherers (10,800 to 4250 cal BCE) and 26 Bronze Age farmers from the Corded Ware complex Fatyanovo Culture (2900 to 2050 cal BCE). We show that Eastern hunter-gatherer ancestry was present in northwestern Russia already from around 10,000 BCE. Furthermore, we see a change in ancestry with the arrival of farming—Fatyanovo Culture individuals were genetically similar to other Corded Ware cultures, carrying a mixture of Steppe and European early farmer ancestry. Thus, they likely originate from a fast migration toward the northeast from somewhere near modern-day Ukraine—the closest area where these ancestries coexisted from around 3000 BCE.

We develop a comprehensive model to simulate random quasi-phase-matched frequency conversion in polycrystalline media, and present simulations which shed light on the mechanisms of supercontinuum generation and the properties of generated radiation in zinc-blende materials.

We report the first femtosecond polycrystalline Cr:ZnS oscillator with an octave-spanning spectrum. Average power of the laser is 1.4 W at the mid-IR central wavelength 2.4 μm and the pulse repetition frequency 79 MHz.

We report 45 dB single stage Cr:ZnSe amplifier operating over 2.2-2.6 μm spectral range seeded by CW Cr:ZnSe single frequency laser. The maximum output energy of 1.6 mJ was demonstrated in 25 ns pulses at 1000 Hz repetition rate.

We report dual-comb spectroscopy experiments with stabilized combs based on Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr:ZnS lasers. The compact dual-comb setup features >3W power per each channel, 80-MHz comb-mode spacing, and 60-THz-wide band centered at 2.4 μm.

Ancient DNA sampling methods—although optimized for efficient DNA extraction—are destructive, relying on drilling or cutting and powdering (parts of) bones and teeth. As the field of ancient DNA has grown, so have concerns about the impact of destructive sampling of the skeletal remains from which ancient DNA is obtained. Due to a particularly high concentration of endogenous DNA, the cementum of tooth roots is often targeted for ancient DNA sampling, but standard destructive sampling methods often result in the loss of at least one entire root. Here, we present a minimally destructive method for extracting ancient DNA from dental cementum present on the surface of tooth roots. This method does not require destructive drilling or grinding, and, following extraction, the tooth remains safe to handle and suitable for most morphological studies, as well as other biochemical studies, such as radiocarbon dating. We extracted and sequenced ancient DNA from 30 teeth (and 9 corresponding petrous bones) using this minimally destructive extraction method in addition to a typical tooth sampling method. We find that the minimally destructive method can provide ancient DNA that is of comparable quality to extracts produced from teeth that have undergone destructive sampling processes. Further, we find that a rigorous cleaning of the tooth surface combining diluted bleach and UV light irradiation seems sufficient to minimize external contaminants usually removed through the physical removal of a superficial layer when sampling through regular powdering methods.

Transition from the Stone to the Bronze Age in Central and Western Europe was a period of major population movements originating from the Ponto-Caspian Steppe. Here, we report new genome-wide sequence data from 28 individuals from the territory north of this source area – from the under-studied Western part of present-day Russia, including Stone Age hunter-gatherers (10,800–4,250 cal BC) and Bronze Age farmers from the Corded Ware complex called Fatyanovo Culture (2,900–2,050 cal BC). We show that Eastern hunter-gatherer ancestry was present in Northwestern Russia already from around 10,000 BC. Furthermore, we see a clear change in ancestry with the arrival of farming – the Fatyanovo Culture individuals were genetically similar to other Corded Ware cultures, carrying a mixture of Steppe and European early farmer ancestry and thus likely originating from a fast migration towards the northeast from somewhere in the vicinity of modern-day Ukraine, which is the closest area where these ancestries coexisted from around 3,000 BC.

Enabling broad tunability, high peak and average power, ultrashort pulse duration, and all known modes of laser operation—transition-metal (TM)-doped II–VI chalcogenides are the materials of choice for direct lasing in the mid-IR. The host materials feature broad infrared transparency, high thermal conductivity, low phonon cutoff, low optical losses, and are available as either single crystals or polycrystalline ceramics. Doped with TM ions, these media exhibit a four-level energy structure, the absence of excited state absorption, as well as broad absorption and emission bands. Doped single-crystals of high optical quality are difficult to grow; however, the advent of postgrowth diffusion doped ceramics has resulted in significant progress in laser development. Here, we summarize recent experimental laser results on Cr and Fe doped II–VI chalcogenides providing access to the 1.8–6 μm spectral range with a high (>60%) efficiency, multi-Watt-level [140 W in continuous wave (CW)] output powers, tunability of >1000 nm, short-pulse (