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Study Discovers First Neanderthal-Denisovan DNA Sandwich in Modern Humans
Even more surprising is that the modern population is in the Americas, a place once thought our hominin cousins never reached.
We are the last human species standing, which is saying something because there have been several variations over millions of years.
Yet, many not only coexisted but also interbred. For instance, our Homo sapiens ancestors mated with both our Neanderthal and Denisovan cousins. Furthermore, I’ve shared with you how scientists believe that the immune systems of our H. sapiens ancestors allowed for successful procreation between our species and theirs.
Now, thanks to technological advancements involving DNA analysis, scientists are learning more than ever about our biology, and a recent study offers fresh evidence that interbreeding with our hominin cousins boosted our immune system in ways that gave us an evolutionary advantage.
In addition to diversifying our population, scientists have discovered a new way our bodies inherited a special, species-saving gene variant that helped our archaic ancestors survive the treacherous, disease-ridden migration into the Americas.
