Birds, ancient DNA, and shared histories
From Research and Reason by Faculty of Arts and Education, University of Auckland
April 28, 2026 · 32 min · Season 6 · Episode 3
About this episode
Patricia Pillay discusses her research on ancient bird bones and DNA, revealing insights into the interactions between humans and wildlife in the Marquesas Islands over the past 700 years.
What can tiny fragments of ancient bird bones and DNA reveal about the past? Anthropology doctoral candidate Patricia Pillay's research uncovers how humans and wildlife in the Marquesas Islands have interacted over the past 700 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Patricia also shares how tiny bird bones and Indigenous knowledge tell big stories about history, culture and conservation. Watch another interview of Patricia here: https://www.facebook.com/531pi/videos/699301126539966/ Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/02/bird-s-eye-view-of-ancient-pacific-life.html
People in this episode
Host: Julianne Evans
Guest: Patricia Pillay
Topics covered
- ancient DNA
- bird bones
- human-wildlife interaction
- Marquesas Islands
- history
- culture
- conservation
Keywords
- ancient DNA
- bird bones
- Marquesas Islands
- human-wildlife interaction
- Indigenous knowledge
- history
- conservation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Faculty of Arts and Education, University of Auckland
Places: Marquesas Islands
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