New DNA analysis has revealed a remarkably complex biological record preserved on the Shroud of Turin, adding fresh detail to the history of one of the world's most closely examined and controversial historical artifacts. A Complex Archive of Human and Environmental DNAProfessor Noemi Procopio, Professor of Forensic Science at the University of Lancashire, contributed to the international collaborative project. The team detected several human mitochondrial DNA lineages, as well as a diverse microbiome made up of bacteria, fungi and salt-loving microorganisms. Instead, they show how forensic genomics and proteomics can be used to reconstruct the biological history of culturally significant objects. "The Shroud represents a rich archive of genetic information that has accumulated over centuries of human interaction and environmental exposure.