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What did the Neanderthals give us?

These hominids are older than modern humans with larger brains. However, the tool kits that were discovered with their bones were not as sophisticated as their co-existing modern humans. They did not seem as smart. DNA studies, especially those of mitochondrial DNA show that the relationship is distant suggesting no contribution from the Neanderthals that lived near our direct ancestors. Now, a gene related to brain development, microcephalin that we all have appears to be too old. Current mutations seem to suggest an origin of haplotype D form of the gene in modern humans at 37,000 years ago but the gene itself seems to be over 1 million years old. Where was it before 37,000 years ago? One possible explanation is that we obtained haplotype D by breeding with Neanderthals in whom it had been resident for over a million years. However we got it, the D haplotype spread very rapidly. If the Neanderthals had it first, then why did we win? We must have had something else. One interesting aspect of this hypothesis is that modern humans came out of Africa earlier than 37000 years ago so those left in Africa would not be expected to have haplotype D.

University of Chicago geneticist Bruce Lahn

A witch in the woods

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