"Beethoven's DNA Unlocks Health Mysteries and Family Secrets"

An international team of scientists has sequenced Ludwig van Beethoven’s genome for the first time using five genetically matching locks of the composer’s hair. The research reveals that Beethoven was predisposed to liver disease, infected with Hepatitis B, and his alcohol consumption may have contributed to his death. Additionally, DNA from modern relatives suggests an extramarital event in his paternal line. The findings provide new insights into Beethoven’s health and cause of death, which have been debated since 1802.