New advancements in the study of the ‘Penang Woman,’ a prehistoric human female whose remains were discovered at the Guar Kepah archaeological site, continue to captivate scientists and historians worldwide. The remains, initially discovered in 2017, are now the focus of DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) to provide fresh insights into early human life in Southeast Asia and possibly rewrite history. "The DNA analysis of the ‘Penang Woman’ is a groundbreaking development," said Professor Dr Stephen Chia, Director of Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR). “The primary objective of this collaboration is to uncover the genetics and chronometric age of the ‘Penang Woman’ through these advanced methods.” Earlier, the ‘Penang Woman’ had been estimated to be around 5,700 years old based on the shell sample obtained next to the skeletal remains. However, Dr Chia questioned the accurac
Stories and more...