Denisova caves is a cave in the Altai mountains, Siberia, Russia. The cave is of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest.

838490134

Denisova caves is a cave in the Altai mountains, Siberia, Russia. The cave is of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest.

Photo by: rusak

rusak

Ancient DNA Reveals New Evidence, Changing What We Know About Human Evolution

By: Discovery

New DNA evidence found in sediment from Denisova Cave in Siberia reveal that it may have been a common meeting place that overlapped with Neanderthal, Denisova, and Homo sapiens. Could this have altered our evolution as modern humans?

July 02, 2021

In the anthropology world, it's been known for two decades that our Neanderthal and Denisovans ancestors once inhabited Denisova Cave, which is located up in the mountains of Siberia. Through the years, scientists have excavated bones, teeth, stone tools, and jewelry that date back to 300,000 years ago. However, in a recent study in the journal Nature, new evidence has surfaced that modern humans may have overlapped with our ancestors and in the same cave, too.


Elena Zavala, an evolutionary anthropologist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and coauthor of the study, told Business Insider that, "we now have the first direct evidence for the presence of ancient modern humans at the site." Could our ancestors have mingled and interbred, leading to the species and technological evolution of who we are today?


According to the study, the evidence that points to all of this is based on an analysis of ancient DNA pulled from over 700 soil samples on the cave floor across its three chambers. A quarter of the samples contained hominin DNA from microscopic bits of human hair, skin, and feces that were mixed in with the soil. Other DNA from ancient dogs, bears, hyenas, and horses were also found. The DNA from all three species were found in the layer of soil that's between 45,000 and 22,000 years old, which has researchers thinking that they all overlapped in this cave.

Denisova caves is a cave in the Altai mountains, Siberia, Russia. The cave is of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest.

838490120

Denisova caves is a cave in the Altai mountains, Siberia, Russia. The cave is of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest.

Photo by: rusak

rusak

Denisova caves is a cave in the Altai mountains, Siberia, Russia. The cave is of great paleoarchaeological and paleontological interest.


Katerina Douka, an archaeologist not involved with the study, told Science that. "I cannot think of another site where three human species lived through time."
Why is this significant? Combined with past insights, we can better understand the ancient human timeline. To help put it into perspective, here's a snapshot of the estimated timeline of the Denisova Cave.

  • 250,000 years ago: Denisovans occupied the cave
  • 190,000 years ago: Shift in climate due to Global warming and Neanderthals arrive
  • 190,000 - 130,000 years ago: Denisovans and Neanderthals share the cave
  • 130,000 - 100,000 years ago: Neanderthals were sole occupants
  • 100,000 years ago: Second population of Denisovans emerged and co-habited with Neanderthals for up to 78,000 years
  • 45,000 years ago: The first Homo sapiens arrived and new evidence points to them living among the Denisovans and Neanderthals at the same time.

But why this cave? Zavala told Business Insider, " It's interesting that Denisovans and Neanderthals kept returning to the cave because it is located at the end of what is thought to be each of their geographical ranges." This cave might have been along the migration route between Europe and Asia.

Next Up

How a Lizard Loses Its Tail (and More Importantly, Keeps it Attached)

Thanks to a complex internal structure, lizards can shed a tail in a pinch… yet keep their tails attached when they need them.

Scientists in China Discover Rare Moon Crystal that Could Power Earth

A rare lunar crystal found on the near side of the moon is giving scientists hope of providing limitless power for the world – forever.

Astronomers May Have Found a Rare “Free-Floating” Black Hole

How do you see a perfectly black object in the middle of a pitch-dark night? It sounds like the start of an annoying riddle, but it’s really the question faced by astronomers when they want to search for black holes.

This Country is Transforming an Abandoned Airport into a Green Oasis

Most old, disused airports are torn down to make way for shiny new developments, although at a huge cost and via a lengthy process.Not Tegel airport, in Berlin, Germany.

Saving Baby Elephants from a Deadly Herpes Virus

One biotechnology company is accelerating efforts to eradicate a fatal disease affecting endangered elephants.

Why You Can’t Escape a Mosquito

Hiding the scent of human blood from mosquitoes is harder than scientists originally thought.

113 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Uncovered Due to Drought

Severe drought conditions dried up a river at Dinosaur Valley State Park in Texas leading to the pre-eminent discovery.

Saving Earth from Killer Asteroids

Only about 40% of an estimated 25,000 near-Earth asteroids with the potential to destroy the planet have been detected. Scientist Dr. Ed Lu, along with his nonprofit B612 are working to create a way to detect the other 60%.

These Scientists Created Robots Covered in Living Skin

Japanese scientists created a self-healing skin for robots. This breakthrough study brings Westworld-like robots one step closer to reality.Is a dystopian future closer than we think?

Quiz: Test Your Space Exploration Knowledge

Ahead of the historic May 27th NASA and SpaceX crewed space launch, test your space exploration knowledge!