Scientists have uncovered the oldest known DNA from Homo sapiens in Europe, shedding light on our species’ shared history with Neanderthals. The ancient genomes sequenced from 13 bone fragments found in a cave in Germany belonged to six individuals who lived around 45,000 years ago. Analysis of their DNA revealed that they interbred with Neanderthals about 1,500 years earlier than previously thought.
The study provides evidence that early humans encountered and mixed with Neanderthals for a long period of time, despite previous assumptions that these encounters were limited to the Middle East. The research also found that certain genetic variants inherited from our Neanderthal ancestors have varied over time and continue to confer benefits today.
The scientists behind the study found that the majority of Neanderthal ancestry in modern humans can be attributed to a single, shared extended period of gene flow, which occurred between 50,500 years ago and 43,500 years ago. This timeline suggests that most humans outside Africa have Neanderthal ancestry originating from this period.
While the study sheds new light on our species’ history, it also highlights the complexity of human migration and the limitations of genetic data. The scientists involved in the research acknowledged that there is still much to be discovered about our shared history with Neanderthals.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/13/science/oldest-human-dna-neanderthal-ancestry/index.html