New DNA Analysis of Mysterious “Conehead” Mummies Fuels Alien Origin Theories

The story of Peru’s elongated “conehead” skulls has always sat between archaeology and internet myth. Their shape is dramatic enough to invite wild theories, and every new mention of DNA testing gives those theories a fresh wave of attention.

But the careful version is less alien and more interesting. The skulls are strongly linked to ancient Andean practices of intentional cranial modification, where infants’ heads were shaped during early growth. New DNA claims may fuel speculation, but mainstream archaeology does not need extraterrestrials to explain why these skulls look so strange.