Contrary to the notion of confidently spreading beyond Africa, early modern humans repeatedly faced extinction before eventually colonizing the globe, according to recent research.

The latest DNA studies have similarly illuminated the contribution of our Neanderthal relatives to our achievements.

Although earlier versions of European humans were thought to be a species that we overcame following our departure from Africa, recent research indicates that those who interbred with Neanderthals thrived, whereas other genetic lines eventually became extinct.

Actually, Neanderthal genes might have played a key role in our survival by shielding us from illnesses we had not previously faced.

For the first time, this study identifies a brief interval around 48,000 years ago when Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals following their departure from Africa. Afterward, these humans proceeded to spread across the broader globe.

Homo sapiens had previously migrated out of Africa, yet according to recent findings, those earlier populations that didn’t undergo interbreeding with other groups ceased to persist.

Professor Johannes Krause from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany informed Sport.bangjo.co.id News that the narrative of modern human history must now be revised.

He stated that we view contemporary humans as a grand narrative of triumph, emerging from Africa around 60,000 years ago and spreading into every ecosystem to become the most dominant mammals on Earth. However, initially, this was not the case; our species faced extinction numerous times.

For many years, understanding how the sole remaining human species developed primarily involved examining the forms of our forebears' fossilized remains from hundreds of thousands of years past and noting the gradual changes in their bodily structures over time.

The ancient relics have been scarce and frequently deteriorated. However, the capability to retrieve and decipher the genetic information from bones dating back thousands of years has unveiled aspects of our enigmatic history.

The DNA from the fossils reveals the tale of these individuals, showing their relationships with one another as well as their migratory behaviors.

Despite our successful interbreeding with Neanderthals, the European population still faced some challenges.

The initial modern humans who interbred with Neanderthals and coexisted with them eventually became extinct in Europe around 40,000 years ago. However, they had previously managed to disperse farther across the globe with their descendants.

These early global trailblazers' forebears were ultimately the ones who went back to Europe to settle it.

The study offers fresh insights into the reasons behind the rapid disappearance of Neanderthals following the arrival of modern humans from Africa. The exact cause remains unknown, however, these findings lead us away from hypotheses suggesting our species exterminated them through hunting or due to physical or intellectual superiority.

Prof Krause argues that this finding bolsters the idea that the cause was environmental influences.

He stated that both humans and Neanderthals vanished from Europe during this period. If our species, despite being so successful, couldn’t survive in the area, it’s understandable that Neanderthals, with their much smaller population, also became extinct.

The climate was extremely unpredictable back then. It had the ability to shift from temperatures almost like those we experience now to conditions that were painfully frigid, often even during the span of an individual’s life, stated Prof Chris Stringer from the Natural History Museum in London, who wasn’t involved with this latest study.

The research indicates that towards the latter part of their existence on Earth, Neanderthals had dwindled in number and exhibited lower genetic diversity compared to the contemporary modern humans with whom they coexisted. It suggests that their demise might have been precipitated by relatively minor factors, according to him.

A distinct DNA study published in the journal Science reveals that contemporary humans retained certain crucial genetic characteristics inherited from Neanderthals, which might have provided them with an evolutionary edge.

One aspect pertains to their immune system. As humans migrated out of Africa, they faced numerous diseases they had not previously been exposed to, making them highly vulnerable. Intermixing with Neanderthals provided their descendants with increased resistance against these illnesses.

Getting Neanderthal DNA might have contributed to our success as it provided superior adaptability beyond Africa," explained Prof Stringer. "Our species evolved in Africa, while the Neanderthals developed their traits outside of Africa.

Through interbreeding with the Neanderthals, we received an immediate boost to our immune systems.

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