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Surprising diversity found among Europe's last Neanderthals
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- A new study in Nature analyzed genetic data from 27 Neanderthals in Belgium and France, revealing late Neanderthal populations were more genetically diverse and interconnected than previously believed.
- The research found no evidence of recent gene flow from modern humans into these Neanderthal groups, challenging the theory that genetic decline significantly contributed to their extinction.
- The Neanderthal specimen from Les Cottés, France, played a crucial role in the study, serving as a reference for understanding the population history and showing links to distant Neanderthal populations.
- The findings indicate that final Neanderthal populations were a network of interconnected communities with diverse ancestral lineages rather than a single homogeneous group.
- Researchers emphasize that increasing the number of high-quality Neanderthal genomes will deepen understanding of their social structures and population diversity across Europe.
