A newly discovered Denisovan gene, hidden within human DNA, may have helped the first Americans adapt to their new world.
Thousands of years ago, early humans braved a dangerous migration, traveling across vast stretches of ice over the Bering Strait to reach the unfamiliar lands of the Americas.
According to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder, these travelers may have brought along something unexpected: a piece of DNA inherited from a now-extinct hominin species. This genetic legacy could have played a key role in helping them survive and adapt to the challenges of their new environment.
The researchers recently published their findings the journal Science.
“In terms of evolution, this is an incredible leap,” said Fernando Villanea, one of two lead authors of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at CU Boulder. “It shows an amount of adaptation and resilience within a population that is simply amazing.”
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