Humans mated with their now-extinct relatives, Neanderthals much earlier and more frequently than it was earlier presumed, a new gene study has revealed. The Neanderthals were a species or subspecies of archaic humans in the genus Homo.
According to the study, traces of human DNA found in Neanderthal genome clearly suggest that we started relating with our extinct relatives approximately 100,000 years ago.
One evidence linking to this claim is the ancient remains of a female Neanderthal found in a remote cave located in the Altai Mountains in Siberia. A comprehensive genetic analysis conducted revealed that bits of human DNA were found within her genome, thereby providing evidence that interspecies mating actually took place 100,000 years ago.
Intermingling First Took Place in the Middle East
The recent study further reveals that the Neanderthal-human mating apparently took place in the Middle East, not in Europe as it had earlier been suspected. This was shortly after they left Africa and spread to the rest of the world, about 60,000 years ago.These findings did not come off as a surprise to Erik Trinkhaus, an anthropologist whose earlier claims of Neanderthal-modern human interbreeding found to contradict DNA evidence, appear to have been validated by the new gene study.
According to Trinkhaus, “They have finally seen the light...because it has been obvious to many of us that this actually happened.” The anthropologist further claims that it's highly possible that most living humans have much more DNA than the new gene study suggests.
According to him, 1%-4% is minimum- it could be 10%, 20%, or even more.
The new gene study actually showed that Neaderthal DNA is 99.7% identical to that of humans compared to for example, 98.8% of modern humans and chimps. This is sure evidence that modern humans have such a closely related genetically, which further proves the possibility of mating.
The study also revealed that all modern ethnic groups in exception of Africans, carry some traces of Neanderthal DNA in their genomes. This was quite puzzling considering that the non-extinct human species was thought to have originated from Africa- although no fossil evidence was found.
This is clear indicator that modern humans were actually having sex with Neanderthals outside Africa 100,000 years ago, specifically because they were not found there. They had left the continent way before the large dispersal that took place about 40,000 years ago.
This revelation actually sheds some light on the history of human migration.
The study also found that although the Chinese and Melanesians are closely related to Neanderthals, the species never inhabited China or Papua New Guinea. It could be that the human migration played a huge role in this.
It’s not actually known how these matings happened as there are many possibilities ranging from one group stealing females or raiding another, peaceful exchanges of partners to adopting orphaned or abandoned babies.
All in all, regardless of how it happened, it's pretty exciting to learn that we at least have a strong connection with our now-extinct relatives.
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