"Unlocking Beethoven's Musical Genius Through a Lock of His Hair"

A recent DNA study of Beethoven's hair suggests that his musical genius may have been more rooted in creativity than in innate musical ability. The study found that Beethoven's genetic predisposition for musicality was unremarkable compared to the general population, leading researchers to emphasize the challenges of making genetic predictions for an individual who lived over 200 years ago. While DNA can contribute to musical skills, relying on it to predict behavior remains imprecise. The study also shed light on Beethoven's health issues, including progressive hearing loss, chronic gastrointestinal complaints, severe liver disease, and evidence of a Hepatitis B infection before his death.