Ancient hominid bone serves up DNA stunner
Evolutionary questions emerge about links between European, Asian forerunners to humans
By Bruce Bower, 11:27 AM December 4, 2013
Scientists have recovered the oldest known DNA from a member of the human evolutionary family. This find raises surprising questions about relationships among far-flung populations of ancient hominids.
A nearly complete sample of mitochondrial DNA was extracted from a 400,000-year-old leg bone previously found in a cave in northern Spain. The DNA shows an unexpected hereditary link to the Denisovans, Neandertals’ genetic cousins that lived in East Asia at least 44,000 years ago, say paleogenet...
Source URL: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ancient-hominid-bone-serves-dna-stunner