we’ve known for a long time sapient And Neanderthals, also known as ancient humans, interbred with Neanderthals before they became extinct. 40,000 years ago. In fact, in some ways Neanderthals never went extinct. That’s because modern humans still consist of about 3% Neanderthal DNA.
But many questions still remain about where these two groups came together and what their interbreeding might have looked like.
Previous research Highlighted the key migration points for: H. sapiens After leaving Africa.
Modern humans first landed on Earth persian plateau It arose between 60,000 and 70,000 years ago, but did not spread to the rest of Europe and Asia until about 45,000 years ago.
Now, a new study was published last month. scientific report The place has been reorganized. H. sapiens Neanderthals and Neanderthals came together and interbred 120,000 to 180,000 years ago.
Mapping the meeting places of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals
Use modeling that includes both domains H. sapiens Neanderthal specimens and areas during this period that provided a suitable climate for both populations were discovered, allowing researchers to pinpoint areas where the two groups were likely to intermingle, the study authors say. Saman H. GuranHe is a researcher at the Stiftung Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, Germany.
The researchers looked at about 20 sites with modern human remains and 20 sites with Neanderthal remains, then used computer modeling to assess where each species was most likely living at the time, taking into account things like precipitation, weather, and cave abundance.
Read more: Neanderthal timeline shows they thrived for 400,000 years and then disappeared
Find Clues in Precipitation and Shelter
By observing precipitation, researchers can assess what the world might have been like in terms of survival.
“If there had been consistent rainfall, what types of plants would have survived, and what types of plants would have been able to support the types of animals that lived there? says Luca PaganiAn anthropologist at the University of Padua in Padua, Italy, he was not involved in the study but authored the previously mentioned Persian Plateau paper. “Could the entire ecosystem support Neanderthals or humans?”
The area contains many rock shelters where both groups may have lived during this period. Both species were known to inhabit caves as refuges at the time, and we know this because their remains are often found in caves.
Read more: Did Neanderthals really live in caves? Take a closer look
Where did humans and Neanderthals interbreed?
“The Zagros Mountains (a mountain range located in Iran) appear in our modeling to be the best area where these two species had contact during this period, 120,000 to 180,000 years ago,” says Guran.
Guran says climate may have had a strong influence on human migration and distribution. The Zagros Mountains were the southernmost area explored by Neanderthals as they spread from Europe to Asia, researchers know from physical evidence.
“We also looked at climate fluctuations during this period to see that Neanderthals would have used this opportunity to migrate to areas further south,” says Guran.
The researchers concluded that the Zagros Mountains were a viable habitat for both groups, Pagani says. However, other areas highlighted in the maps but not mentioned as much in the study could also be modified by both groups.
“I agree with the results and it is great that Zagros has been identified as one of the areas of interaction. But there are other areas that could equally benefit from their research. Their results are also consistent, from a genetic perspective, with what has been discovered about the whereabouts of modern humans outside Africa between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago,” says Pagani.
This makes the Zagros Mountains a particularly interesting place, as it may have been home to both species just a few years ago.
Read more: How much Neanderthal DNA do humans have?
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Sara Novak is a science journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing for Discover, her work also appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and others. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. She is also a candidate for a master’s degree in science writing at Johns Hopkins University (expected to graduate in 2023).
