Rewriting early human history

Two recent studies have helped scientists learn more about when Homo sapiens (modern humans) interbred with Neanderthals. This species of prehistoric humans lived about 400,000 to 40,000 years ago in Europe and Asia. Modern humans, meanwhile, emerged about 300,000 years ago in Africa before migrating to other continents. Scientists have known for many years that as Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens encountered each other, they mated and produced offspring. As a result, many people today get 1% to 2% of their DNA (the complex chemical that carries instructions for how a living thing should grow and develop) from Neanderthals. When this interbreeding occurred has been a mystery, however. Now researchers believe it took place about 47,000 years ago. One study, published in the journal Science, looked at DNA found in…

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The Week Junior US (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 249

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