Scientists have uncovered ancient genomes of humans that lived in Ice Age Europe around 45,000 years ago. The discovery sheds new light on human migration out of Africa and reveals a surprising twist in the story.
Researchers found fossils in Germany and Czech Republic that dated back to this period, including bone fragments from a family with mother, daughter, and cousins. They also sequenced DNA from an ancient woman’s skull in the Czech Republic, which showed a connection between the two groups.
The study suggests that these early humans were part of a small group known as the Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician, who had dark skin reflecting their recent origins from Africa. However, their time in Europe was short-lived, and they eventually disappeared.
The ancient genomes also reveal a connection with Neanderthals, with whom early humans interbred around 46,000 years ago. This timing suggests that humans moved into Europe from the Middle East later than previously thought.
The discovery highlights how fragile survival was for early humans, with some groups facing extinction due to small population sizes. The study has been published in the journal Nature.
Source: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/the-oldest-human-genomes-in-europe-show-how-an-entire-branch-of-humanity-disappeared