Ata is the name given to the small skeleton of a human fetus found in 2003 in La Noria, Chile. It is 6 inches long (15 cm). The remains were discovered by Oscar Muñoz, who later sold them. The current owner is Ramón Navia-Osorio, a Spanish businessman. In 2018, scientists studied the skeleton’s DNA and found unusual genetic changes linked to dwarfism and scoliosis. However, these results were later questioned by other researchers.

Overview

DNA testing of the early human fetus showed strange changes linked to dwarfism and curved spine, but other studies disagreed, stating the bones developed normally for a fetus. Some people, like UFO researcher Steven M. Greer, claimed Ata might be from space. These ideas led to Ata being included in the 2013 movie Sirius and caught the interest of Stanford University scientist Garry P. Nolan. Nolan reached out to the film team and studied the skeleton's remains. His DNA results proved the skeleton was human, not from another planet.

Analysis

Although people once believed the fetal remains were older, they have been dated to the late 1970s and contain high-quality DNA that is good for scientific study. The remains have an irregularly shaped skull and 10 ribs, instead of the usual 12 found in adult humans. There are also possible signs of a condition called oxycephaly. Because the frontal suture of the skull is still open and the hands and feet are not fully hardened, scientist William Jungers suggested the remains belonged to a human fetus that was born too early and died shortly after birth. Another idea by Nolan is that the fetus had a mix of genetic issues that caused it to be aborted before birth. Pediatric radiologist Ralph Lachman stated that dwarfism alone could not explain all the features found in the fetus.

During DNA analysis, Nolan discovered the B2 haplotype group in mitochondrial DNA. Haplogroups are groups of genetic traits often linked to specific geographic regions. Combined with other genetic markers found in the mitochondrial DNA, the results suggest the fetus was indigenous to the western part of South America.

In March 2018, Nolan shared more findings, explaining the fetus had a rare condition affecting bone aging and other genetic mutations in genes related to dwarfism, scoliosis, and muscle and bone issues. Researchers found 64 unusual mutations in 7 genes connected to the skeletal system. They noted that such a large number of mutations specifically affecting skeletal development had never been reported before.

Controversy

A later study, published in September 2018 by a group of international researchers led by Siân Halcrow, an Associate Professor of Bioarchaeology at New Zealand's University of Otago, challenged the March 2018 study by Nolan. The team stated that as experts in human anatomy and skeletal development, they found no evidence of the skeletal abnormalities claimed by Nolan's team. They explained that the observed "anomalies" were actually normal parts of fetal development, changes caused by the baby's head during birth, or effects that happened after death. The researchers also expressed doubt about the genomic results from the earlier study. They raised ethical concerns, noting that studies like Nolan's, which ignore the rights of the deceased and their communities, could harm efforts to correct past mistakes by scientists.

Genome Research, the journal that published the 2013 study, responded by saying that their ethical guidelines did not cover research on remains whose origins were unclear, such as the Atacama skeleton. However, they said they planned to review their policies on such studies. The authors of the Genome Research article acknowledged the ethical concerns and suggested returning the remains to their original location. The researchers defended their work by explaining that none of the main researchers or their labs had ever touched the skeleton directly, nor were they involved in its collection, removal, or transport. Instead, they received a small bone sample (about 1 mm) taken by the Sirius documentary team in Spain. Their role was limited to analyzing that sample, and they had no control over how the skeleton was handled before that. They also clarified that at the start of the research, they did not know the specimen was human, and the skeleton's age had not yet been determined. The researchers emphasized their goal was to resolve questions about the specimen, not to support unethical practices.