The Ancient DNA in You: How Neanderthals and Denisovans Shape Who We Are Today
Image for illustration purposes only F or over a century, we've been on a quest to find our lost cousins, the Neanderthals and Denisovans. Thanks to a genetic revolution pioneered by Nobel laureate Svante Pääbo, we haven’t just found them, we’ve discovered they live on inside us. Ground-breaking research reveals that our ancestors interbred with these other human species. The result? If you have roots outside of sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 2% of your DNA is Neanderthal. For people with Oceanic ancestry, that figure can include up to 5% Denisovan DNA. But this isn't just a historical curiosity; this ancient genetic legacy actively influences our health, appearance, and how we adapt to our environment. A Family Reunion 600,000 Years in the Making The story begins long ago. Around 600,000 years ago, the family tree of humanity split. One branch stayed in Africa and would eventually evolve into us, Homo sapiens . Another branch migrated into Eurasia and evolved into the N...