Beethoven’s hair DNA reveals that he could have died from lead poisoning

The original locks of Ludwig van Beethoven are presented at the Beethoven Haus in Bonn, Germany, that were used to sequence the genome of the world famous composer by an international team of researchers led by Cambridge University, Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Scientists have pulled Beethoven's genome from locks of his hair to look for clues about his many health problems. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A new study published last week made several conclusions in regard to Ludwig van Beethoven’s ancestry and medical history.

The genomic analysis examined DNA from eight locks of hair attributed to the legendary German composer.