A fossil jawbone discovered off Taiwan’s coast has provided new insights into the appearance and geographic range of the enigmatic Denisovan human species. The 10,000-year-old male individual had a strong jaw and large molars, shedding light on their physical characteristics.
The discovery is significant as it is one of the most complete Denisovan fossils identified to date. Prof Enrico Cappellini, co-author of the study, stated that the fossil has helped fill in the mystery of Denisovans’ appearance, which was previously known only through smaller bone fragments or teeth.
The fossil dates back to a glacial period between 10,000 and 190,000 years ago. Although DNA cannot be extracted from the sample, researchers were able to analyze proteins and place the fossil confidently on the Denisovan branch of the evolutionary tree.
The discovery highlights the impressive geographic range of Denisovans, which lived alongside modern humans and Neanderthals. They inhabited a diverse range of environments, including Siberia’s harsh climate and Tibet’s high-altitude plateaus, as well as subtropical regions in south-east Asia.
Prof Chris Stringer noted that the findings strengthen the case for Denisovans belonging to the Homo longi group, a classification previously suggested by a complete skull found in north-east China. The study published in Science journal provides further evidence of Denisovans’ adaptability to diverse environments and their potential cognitive abilities.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/10/jawbone-fossil-builds-richer-image-of-ancient-denisovans