The Facts

• The research, led by forensic expert Miguel Lorente, involved testing samples from remains in Seville Cathedral and comparing them with DNA from known relatives and descendants of the explorer.Spanish scientists have concluded a 22-year probe into Christopher Columbus's origins, using DNA analysis, to determine he was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe.

• The findings, announced in a documentary titled "Columbus DNA: The true origin" on Spain's national broadcaster TVE, challenge the traditional theory that Columbus was from Genoa, Italy.The researchers also confirmed that the explorer's remains are interred in Seville Cathedral in Spain, settling a long-standing debate about their authenticity.

• Lorente's team found traits compatible with Jewish origin in both the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA of Columbus's son, Hernando Colón.They tested samples from the remains of Columbus, who died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506, comparing them with DNA from his known relatives and descendants.