Scientists have finally solved the mystery of the Denisovans’ appearance after a decade and a half of speculation. A nearly complete skull found in northeastern China has been linked to the extinct group, shedding light on their cranial morphology.
The fossil, estimated to be at least 146,000 years old, is one of the best-preserved archaic human fossils ever discovered. Researchers used ancient molecules to identify it as belonging to the Denisovans, a group previously known only through unique DNA from a finger bone found in Siberia in 2010.
The skull’s massive cranium, lacking the lower jawbone, contains fragments of ancient proteins and mitochondrial DNA. These genetic sequences match those found in early Denisovans from Siberia and are most closely related to the Dragon Man fossil discovered in 1933. The findings suggest that the Dragon Man individual was a Denisovan.
The discovery not only provides insights into the appearance of the Denisovans but also enables researchers to identify other Denisovan specimens with similar DNA profiles. This breakthrough has significant implications for understanding human evolution and migration patterns, particularly during the Palaeolithic era.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-near-complete-denisovan-skull-reveals-what-this-ancient-human-cousin