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Oldest Humans - Mysterious Branch of Humanity

Oldest Human DNA Reveals Mysterious Branch of Humanity

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A new landmark study has revealed the oldest known human DNA ever to be found, dating back approximately 400,000 years – substantially older than the previous earliest human DNA from a 100,000-year-old Neanderthal.  Initial analysis on the DNA reveals a complex and confusing interbreeding of species which took place in our ancient past, and scientists are still scratching their heads over exactly what kind of species the DNA belonged to.

The genetic material came from the bone of a hominin found in Sima de los Huesos, the “bone pit”, which is a cave site in Northern Spain that has yielded the world’s largest assembly of hominin fossils from the Middle Pleistocene, consisting of at last 28 skeletons.

Until now, it has not been possible to study the DNA of these unique hominins, however, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology were able to use novel techniques to extract the DNA and have determined an almost complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a 400,000-year-old representative of the Homo genus.

The researchers then compared the DNA with Neanderthals, Denisovans, present-day humans and apes, and found that the individual shared a common ancestor with the Denisovans, a relatively newfound relative of humans who are thought to have lived in the vast expanse from Siberia to Southeast Asia. This was unexpected since the skeletal remains carry Neanderthal-derived features. In addition, this fossil was uncovered in Europe and not eastern Asia where it was believed the Denisovans lived. 

"This opens up completely new possibilities in our understanding of the evolution of modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans," said study lead author Matthias Meyer, a molecular biologist.

The researchers suggest a number of possible explanations for these findings. First, this specimen may have been a close relative of the Denisovans. However, this seems unlikely because it would mean they lived alongside Neanderthals without having close genetic ties to them.

Second, the Sima de los Huesos humans may be related to the ancestors of both Neanderthals and Denisovans, but they would then have to explain how two very different DNA lineages stemmed from one group, one leading to Denisovans, the other to Neanderthals.

Third, the humans found at the Sima de los Huesos may be a lineage distinct from both Neanderthals and Denisovans that later perhaps contributed DNA to Denisovans. However, this suggests the group was distinct from Neanderthals but also independently evolved several Neanderthal-like features.

Fourth, the investigators suggest a currently unknown species brought Denisovan-like DNA into the Pit of Bones region, and possibly also to the Denisovans in Asia. This is the second study this month which has found evidence of a species currently unknown to science which bred with ancient human ancestors.

"The story of human evolution is not as simple as we would have liked to think," Meyer said. "This result is a big question mark. In some sense, we know less about the origins of Neanderthals and Denisovans than we knew before."

Ancient DNA Origins

The scientists detailed their findings in the Dec. 5 issue of the journal Nature.

By April Holloway

 

Comments

Thanks for the article. I don't think evolution should be thought of as liner. Also, hunter/gatherers could easily retrace their path of migration in their search for food

When did the first Homo xxx leave Africa? And in the process successfully bred with Neanderthals and Denisovans to become “modern-ish man” in excess of some 400,000 years ago, and “walked” back to Africa to pass on the genes to the “original people”?

Different critters just don’t make sense...only scattered pre-existing races (or breeds were we talking dogs or cats) could be the only thing that would work in the real world. (Without injecting God, ETs, or magic combinations of compunds becoming more complex until life in the form of a single cell eventually populates the world thru some process of elimination not evident in the fossil record whatsoever.)

We have Neanderthals and hominins running around at the same time…..and a Lucy is declared our probable michondrial-ish Eve….hahahahahaha….please.  The ET whisperer seems reasonable in comparison.

When we just plain don’t know, a shrug seems wiser than crapping in one hand, wishing in the other, declaring knowledge, and demanding compliance.

Geeze a 40,000 year old polished and drilled stone bracelet found in Siberia, that’s……….problematic.  150,000 year old tool sites in California….older finds in Peru, that’s…...too anolamous….rebury it along with everyone involved.

 

But, is there evolution if there is no time? How will evolutionary biology meet new physical paradigms about time, space and so on? Will new conceptual changes deny evolution? Or on the contrary, will it become a more extraordinary process, full of astonishing implications? So, will human being nature become different as science progresses? Can knowledge change human beings nature, can it change yours? Along these lines, a serious-funny b-book recommendation, a preview in http://goo.gl/rfVqw6 Just another leisure-suggestion

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April

April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name, Joanna Gillan.

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