Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Genetic Research Confirms That Non-Africans Are Part Neanderthal
Original study and research from Université de Montreal
Scientists have known for some time that the Neanderthal species of human ancestors evolved separately from the modern human, but until recently, it wasn’t certain if the two species co-habitated or interbred.
When the Neanderthal’s ancestors left Africa about 400 to 800 thousand years ago, they evolved separately from their genetic cousins that stayed behind in Africa. Then, about 50 to 80 thousand years ago, modern humans had evolved and left Africa, migrating to the same European regions populated by the genetically distinct Neanderthal. The Neanderthal and modern humans then lived together for another 20 to 50 thousand years.
By tracking chromosomes in people today that originated with the Neanderthals, scientists have confirmed that the two species intermingled and interbred.
Because the Neanderthal evolved separately from the modern human over several hundred thousand years, interbreeding is the only explanation for the introduction of Neanderthal genes into modern human descendants.
Read the full article here.
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