A new study has challenged long-held theories about the origin of Neanderthals, suggesting they may not have experienced a significant loss of genetic diversity as previously thought. Researchers analyzed the morphology of inner ear canals in fossil humans, finding that early Neanderthals had similar levels of diversity to those of later Neanderthals.
Contrary to previous assumptions, the study’s findings do not support the idea of a bottleneck event at the origin of the Neanderthal lineage. Instead, they indicate that genetic diversity remained relatively stable over time. The discovery was made using fossil samples from Spain and Croatia, dated between 430,000 and 130,000 years ago.
Researchers measured the semicircular canals in two exceptional fossil collections: one from the Sima de los Huesos site, which contained pre-Neanderthal remains, and another from the Krapina site, representing early Neanderthals. The results showed that classic Neanderthals had lower morphological diversity compared to their earlier counterparts.
The findings have significant implications for our understanding of Neanderthal evolution. They prompt researchers to re-examine previous assumptions about the origin of Neanderthals and propose new explanations for their genetic makeup.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/new-fossil-evidence-challenges-long-held-beliefs-about-neanderthal-origins