Genetic patterns suggest modern humans and Neandertals interbred tens of thousands of years ago
In short: Researchers who analyzed the DNA of modern Europeans found evidence of interbreeding between our ancestors and Neandertals. By measuring the extent of linkage disequilibrium—how often specific genetic variants are inherited together—the team estimated that the last significant gene flow from Neandertals into the European population occurred between 37,000 and 86,000 years ago.
This finding supports the theory that modern humans and Neandertals met and interbred as they expanded out of Africa, potentially carrying Upper Paleolithic technologies with them. The study helps clarify whether shared genetic traits between non-Africans and Neandertals are due to recent mixing or much older population structures.
The study relied on analyzing the genomes of present-day Europeans to trace historical gene flow. A limitation of this approach is that it focuses on a specific geographic group to infer broader historical events.
Why it matters: We can use the patterns of genetic inheritance in modern people to date the ancient meeting of two different human species.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Sankararaman et al. (2012). The Date of Interbreeding between Neandertals and Modern Humans. PLoS Genetics. · cc-by
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