'A history of contact': Princeton geneticists reveal a longer, more intimate story of Neanderthals and modern humans (IMAGE)

Princeton University

'A history of contact': Princeton geneticists reveal a longer, more intimate story of Neanderthals and modern humans

Caption

Modern humans have been interbreeding with Neanderthals for more than 200,000 years, report an international team led by Princeton University’s Josh Akey and Southeast University’s Liming Li. Akey and Li identified a first wave of contact about 200-250,000 years ago, another wave 100-120,000 years ago, and the largest one about 50-60,000 years ago. They used a genetic tool called IBDmix that uses AI, instead of a reference population of living humans, to analyze 2,000 living humans, three Neanderthals, and one Denisovan.

Credit

Matilda Luk, Princeton University

Usage Restrictions

The art is an original creation by Matilda Luk of Princeton University

License

Original content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.