Did our ancestors enjoy a little hanky-panky with other distant and now extinct humans? Genome analysis suggests there was interbreeding between modern humans,
Neanderthals, Denisovans and an unknown archaic population.
We know from DNA testing that all modern humans whose ancestry originates outside of Africa share up to 4% of their genome with Neanderthals. Certain populations such as Papua New Guineans and Australian Aboriginals, share
about 4% of their DNA with Denisovans. It was quite a revelation when scientists were able to prove that humans and Neanderthals inter-acted and mated. My DNA test kit reveals that I have 3% Neanderthal DNA.
Studies suggest that interbreeding went on between the members of several
ancient human-like groups in Europe and Asia more than 30,000 years ago,
including an as-yet-unknown human ancestor from Asia.
Continue reading this story at Mystery Humans Spiced Up Ancient's Sex Lives
A femur found by chance on the banks of a west Siberian river in 2008 is that of a man who died around 45,000 years ago. Subjected to DNA testing, the genome contains traces from Neanderthals who just recently were found to have interbred with humans before disappearing. In fact Neanderthal DNA is found in all modern humans except Africans. Up to 4% of our DNA can be Neanderthal.
I've had mine tested and it is over 3%. The bone found had tiny amounts of Neanderthal DNA but it was in relatively long strips, whereas Neanderthal DNA in modern human
genome has been cut up and dispersed in tiny sections as a result
of generations of reproduction.
This find is allowing scientists to work out a "calendar" of when Homo Sapiens headed into South Asia. The team calculates it was no more than 60,000 years ago.
More information can be found at Oldest DNA ever found sheds light on humans' global trek
