David Reich

David Reich is an American scientist and author best known for his contributions to theories about human evolution. He has made groundbreaking discoveries about the history of our species through the use of ancient DNA, and he has authored several influential books on the subject as well.

Born in America in 1955, Reich was educated at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before going on to receive his PhD in anthropology from Harvard. He has spent his career researching human genetics and evolutionary history, and he has worked at both Harvard and the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard. Reich first made a significant contribution to the world of genetics when, in 2010, he helped to prove the theory that human migratory patterns were more complex than previously thought. This discovery led to many more about human history, including the claim that the first humans to enter Europe came from Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Ethiopia. In order to make such revelations, Reich and his colleagues studied the genomes of ancient remains.

Reich’s research into ancient DNA and human evolution has been widely acclaimed, and he has been awarded several prizes, including the Dan David Prize, the General Motors Cancer Research Award, and the Gruber Prize in Genetics. He has also been the person of honour in a National Geographic Series. His 2013 book, “Who We Are and How We Got Here”, became a critically acclaimed bestseller and has been described as a “groundbreaking look into ancient DNA”. In this book Reich detailed his findings regarding the complexity of human ancestry in Europe, and he also made several predictions about the future of human evolution.

Reich’s second book, “Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past” was published in 2019. This book followed on from his first, and it picked up where the first book left off. In it Reich discussed recent advances in genetic technology, and how this technology has shaped the conclusions we can reach about our evolutionary history. He argued that ancient DNA studies are providing us with a much clearer picture of who we were and how we got here than ever before.

Reich’s policy of making information regarding his research widely available to the public has meant that his work has been appreciated and studied by scientists, as well as by interested members of the public. For this reason, Reich has been praised as an ambassador for science and for his commitment to making his discoveries widely accessible.

Reich’s research continues to shape the way that we understand our human history, helping us to gain new insights into our origins and our relationship to other humans both living and dead. He has also been praised for his ability to convey complex scientific observations with clarity and rigour, making his work accessible to any audience. For all of these reasons, it is clear that David Reich is one of the leading voices in the field of ancient DNA and human evolution.