A new study reveals that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbred in ancient Europe as scientists recovered genetic evidence from a human who lived 40,000 years ago. This person is only a few generations apart from its Neanderthal ancestor, shedding light to the evolution of humans.
This ancient human with Neanderthal relatives is found in the Oase cave in Romania in 2002 where archaeologists have uncovered a mandible of the human.
Paleontologists have long known Neanderthals and Homo sapiens have been co-existing with each other some 55,000 years ago that most likely began in the Middle East. However, this new study shows earlier evidence of this crucial interbreeding to 1,500 years back where modern humans first set migrations into Northern Europe.
To date, modern humans who are now living in Europe and Asia still possess one to three percent of Neanderthal DNA. The Oase individual from Romania revealed genetic codes consisting of five to 11 percent from Neanderthals.
Scientists consider the Oase individual to possess the highest percentage of Neanderthal genes in any genetically modern human being meaning this ratio of genes shows that this individual is just four to six generations apart from his Neanderthal ancestor.
This new finding also provide evidence and clues about how in some cases, the first Homo sapiens that went into migration to Europe have mated with Neanderthals.
According to David Reich from the Harvard Medical School, apparently the Oase individual does not have any direct descendants from Europe who still lives today. This might be because this person was part of an early migration of modern humans to Europe that had close relations with Neanderthals however this group eventually became extinct.
To date, those who are native to the Sub-Saharan African region are the only modern humans who do not have Neanderthal DNA in their genes.
The Neanderthals have thrived in Europe some 350,000 years ago but disappeared some 39,000 years before modern humans came to be. Scientists have been trying to figure out how Neanderthals disappeared, if they have been eliminated via warfare or just genetically absorbed via mating with modern humans.
This new study also proves the fact that the reason why the Oase individual did not leave any direct human descendants is due to modern human migrations in Europe happened simultaneously in several waves. This new study is published in the journal, Nature.