The 1000 Genomes Project (2007–2015) collected DNA samples from diverse human populations across five continents to analyse genetic variation from humans across the globe. Using advanced sequencing technologies, scientists have now mapped genomic variation in over 1,000 individuals from the project, offering new insights into human biology. In a complementary study, researchers assembled nearly complete genome sequences for 65 individuals, enabling detailed analyses of complex regions such as centromeres. These new datasets represent one of the most comprehensive overviews of the human genome to date and will enhance our understanding of genetic diversity across populations. Structural variations mapped through these datasets play a major role in many diseases, including cancer, providing a reference to allow understanding of what goes wrong under disease conditions in future clinical studies.