The first known fossil of a Denisovan skull has been found in a Siberian cave

Science News ^ | March 29, 2019 | Bruce Bower

[SunkenCiv]

Such evidence is tough to interpret at this point, paleoanthropologist María Martinón-Torres of University College London said at the meeting. Interbreeding of closely related populations, such as Denisovans, Neandertals and H. sapiens, generates novel skeletal features that can obscure what started out as, say, a distinctive Denisovan look, she suggested.

Whatever evolutionary niche these mysterious hominids occupied, at least three separate Denisovan populations interbred with ancient humans, population geneticist Murray Cox of Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, also reported at the meeting. Genetic remnants of two of those populations appear in modern aboriginal groups in Papua New Guinea, Cox and his colleagues found.

People on Papua New Guinea interbred with one genetically distinct Denisovan population around 46,000 years ago, the scientists estimate. Interbreeding with a second line of Denisovans took place by about 30,000 years ago and possibly as recently as 15,000 years ago.

If the latter estimate proves correct in further studies, "Denisovans were the last surviving hominids who were not Homo sapiens," Cox said. Those last survivors likely inhabited Papua New Guinea or a nearby island, he added.

The team probed about 3,000 DNA samples, obtained from around 100 communities on Papua New Guinea and other Southeast Asian islands, for molecular signs of interbreeding with Denisovans. The new DNA analyses suggest that some now living on Papua New Guinea and nearby islands carry roughly 400 Denisovan genes involved in immune and dietary functions. Denisovan DNA previously identified in present-day Siberians, East Asians and Native Americans does not occur in island Southeast Asia and thus represents a third Denisovan line, the researchers found.

[SunkenCiv]

• Extinct human species lived together in Siberian cave, new research shows [2019]
• 50,000 year old tiara made of woolly mammoth ivory found in world famous Denisova Cave [2019]
• 'Denisova 11' Had Neanderthal Mother and Denisovan Father [2018]
• Cave girl was half Neanderthal, half Denisovan [2018]
• No evidence of 'hobbit' ancestry in genomes of Flores Island pygmies [2018]
• Homo sapiens developed a new ecological niche that separated it from other hominins [2018]
• A New Batch of Neanderthal Genome Provides Insights Into Their Complex History [2018]
• Modern humans interbred with Denisovans twice in history [2018]
• Is this stunning bracelet made by Paleolithic man for his favourite woman really 70,000 years old? [2017]
• New DNA From A Neanderthal Bone Reveals Evidence Of A Lost Tribe Of Humans [2017]
• Neanderthals In California? Maybe So, Provocative Study Says (Denisovians?) [2017]
• New DNA Study Shows Humans Bred With Unknown Species [2017]
• Site in Germany yields human presence over 1 million years ago [2016]
• A golden age of ancient DNA science begins [2016]
• 400,000-year-old fossils from Spain provide earliest genetic evidence of Neandertals [2016]
• Ancient Denisovan DNA excavated in modern Pacific Islanders [2016]
• Neanderthals boosted our immune system [2016]
• Latest study suggests early human dispersal into Spain through Strait of Gibraltar [2016]
• Mysterious 14,000-year-old leg bone may belong to archaic human species [2015]
• Ancient human ancestor may have persisted through Ice Age [2015]
• Thigh bone points to unexpectedly long survival of ancient human ancestors [2015]
• Prehistoric tooth reveals surprising details about long-lost human 'cousins' [2015]
• DNA from Neandertal relative may shake up human family tree [2015]
• Stone bracelet is oldest ever found in the world [Denisovan, 40K ago] [2015]
• Fossil Found In Asia Could Be A New Species Of Human [2015]
• The Case of the Missing Ancestor: DNA from Russia adds a mysterious new member to the human family [2014]
• Tibetans get high-altitude edge from extinct Denisovans' genes [2014]
• Baffling 400,000-Year-Old Clue to Human Origins [2013]
• Ancient Humans Had Sex With A Mystery Species (Not Neanderthals Or Denisovans) [2013]
• At 400,000 Years, Oldest Human DNA Yet Found Raises New Mysteries [2013]
• Ancient Humans Crossed Ocean Barrier? [2013]
• Ancient Siberians may have rarely hunted mammoths [2013]
• Modern Y-Chromosome Variation Surpasses Archaic Humans (article) [2013]
• Researchers Publish Improved Neanderthal Genome [2013]
• Ancient Mariners: Did Neanderthals Sail to Mediterranean? [2012]
• Anthropologist suggests Mediterranean islands inhabited much earlier than thought [2012]
• DNA Unveils Enigmatic Denisovans [2012]
• How our DNA differs from that of Denisovans, our extinct cousins [2012]
• Mysterious Chinese Fossils May Be New Human Species [2012]
• Neanderthals were ancient mariners [2012]
• Modern Humans Interbred with Archaic Humans in East Asia, Study Says [2011]
• Many roads lead to Asia (Denisovans, migrations, etc.) [2011]
• Neanderthal sex boosted immunity in modern humans [2011]
• Stone Age toe could redraw human family tree [2011]
• Mating with Neanderthals Good for Human Health [2011]
• Cretan tools point to 130,000-year-old sea travel [2011]
• Scientists say new human relative roamed widely in Asia [2010]
• Genome of extinct Siberian cave-dweller linked to modern-day humans [2010]
• Ancient humans, dubbed 'Denisovans', interbred with us [2010]
• DNA says new human relative roamed widely in Asia [2010]
• Is the Mysterious Siberian "X-Woman" a New Hominid Species? [2010]
• Gene research reveals fourth human species [2010]
• Possible new human ancestor found in SiberiaPossible new human ancestor found in Siberia [2010]
• DNA identifies new ancient human dubbed 'X-woman' [2010]
• New ancestor? Scientists ponder DNA from Siberia [2010]
• On Crete, New Evidence of Very Ancient Mariners [2010]
• Ancient hominids may have been seafarers [2010]

[SunkenCiv]

[Candor7]

Finally, they found my skull from a former life in a Siberian cave!(Well, I suppose it could be Fred’s or Lucy’s)

[imardmd1]

Dogs breed with dogs. Goats with goats. Humans with humans. There are no separate “species.” Gorillas do not breed with humans. That would be inter-breedings. Until we shed the Darwinian theory of evolution, there will be no progress.

[SunkenCiv]

"I'm looking for a one-of-a-kind item to remember my trip to Spain." "Here's Julius Caesar's skull. $500." "That's pretty steep. Do you have anything cheaper?" [antique store guy rustles around under the counter] "This is Julius Caesar's skull as a boy. $200."

[z3n]

[SunkenCiv]

Yes, and the article made that point without mentioning gorillas or Darwin.

[El Laton Caliente]

Lions can’t breed with tigers?
Zebras, donkeys and horses can’t interbreed?
Polar and Grizzly bears can’t breed?
Wolves, coyotes and dogs can’t interbreed?

IIRC, the Russians tried some experiments with human, gorilla and chimpanzee embryos without success. It was, as I remember, back in the 40s or 50s so, today, who knows.

Homo Sapiens, Homo Neanderthalensis and Homo Denisova are much closer genetically than gorillas or chimps. Currently in science, they are not sure if Neanderthalensis and Denisova are a separate species or just a sub-species. There are very specific genetic differences. Is it enough difference to classify them as a separate species? That has arguments both ways. Neanderthalensis contributed genes for blond and red hair and light skin to modern man.

[ApplegateRanch]

And let’s not forget Bos taurus and Bos Indicus breeding with each other; and with bison.

Or white tails with mule deer.

And ducks are a so promiscuous between species, that it’s ludicrous.

[Redcitizen]

Dennis Sovan? Yeah I knew him in High school. Wasn’t much on brains but he was a great athlete.

[SunkenCiv]

;^)

[mlo]

"Dogs breed with dogs. Goats with goats. Humans with humans. There are no separate “species.” Gorillas do not breed with humans. That would be inter-breedings. Until we shed the Darwinian theory of evolution, there will be no progress."

You might want to learn what Darwinian evolution is before forming opinions about it.

[Fred Nerks]

It was mine, my species shed their skulls each winter and grow a new carapace...

[Candor7]

Thank goodness your ancestors moved out of Siberia to Australia!

[Candor7]

Very much the same in Africa, where they sell hyena hides as leopard , and every young man you meet has 200 sisters they want you to date.

[Rebelbase]

“Gorillas do not breed with humans.”

I’d bet Stormie Daneils has.