20% of Modern Human Genetic Heritage Is Thought to Have Been Inherited From a Mysterious Ancestral Population
A surprising genetic discovery shakes up our understanding of human evolution. New research reveals an unexpected twist in the story of our origins, linking modern humans to ancient populations in ways we never imagined.
New research has revealed an incredible discovery: modern humans carry 20% of their genetic material from a mysterious population that split from our ancestors 1.5 million years ago. This study challenges much of what we thought we knew about human evolution.
Two Populations, One Unexpected Journey
For years, scientists believed human evolution followed a straightforward path. A single group of ancestors gradually evolved into Homo sapiens. But new research led by scientists from Cambridge University reveals a more complex history.
Their study, published in Nature, shows that two distinct populations of humans split around 1.5 million years ago. These populations later reunited 300,000 years ago, contributing to the genetic makeup of modern humans.
The research challenges the traditional view of human evolution, which often depicted a simple branching tree. Instead, the study shows that there were periods where populations diverged and then recombined, making the evolutionary process more complex than previously imagined.
The Unexpected Contributions to Our Genes
In a surprising twist, the study finds that one of these ancestral populations contributed about 80% of the genetic material in modern humans. After the populations split, one of them went through a dramatic genetic bottleneck, shrinking to a very small size before slowly expanding over a million years.
This bottleneck process helped shape much of the genetic code of modern humans. This population is also believed to have given rise to Neanderthals and Denisovans, other archaic human species.
Interestingly, the minority group, which contributed only 20% of our DNA, played a significant role in the development of key traits. Brain function and neural processing genes from this group were crucial in the cognitive evolution of humans, making them indispensable in the overall development of Homo sapiens.
A More Complicated Evolutionary Story
Building on these findings, a report in ScienceAlert adds more depth to the discovery. It suggests that human evolution is much more complicated than the simple tree diagram often used to describe it.
Researchers found that the two populations split 1.5 million years ago, and later, around 300,000 years ago, these groups merged. This recombination helped form the modern human genome.
Though the smaller group contributed only 20% of the genetic material, its role was critical in areas like brain development. Some of the genes from this minority population, especially those related to cognitive abilities, played a crucial role in human evolution, making the smaller group’s contribution incredibly important despite its lower percentage.
Neanderthals, Denisovans, and the Tangled Web of Human Ancestry
This new model fits well with previous research showing that modern humans are closely related to Neanderthals and Denisovans. Traces of Neanderthal DNA are still found in non-African human populations, making up about 2% of their genomes.
This suggests that early human populations weren’t as isolated as previously believed. Instead, they regularly mixed and interbred, contributing to the genetic blending that ultimately led to Homo sapiens.
The study strengthens the idea that interbreeding between different human species was a common occurrence, which blurred the lines between distinct species. These interactions were essential for shaping the human genome, influencing both physical traits and cognitive abilities
Open Your Mind!!!!
Source: DailyGalaxi.com
Comments
Post a Comment