First ancient genomes from the Green Sahara deciphered

Max Planck Gesellschaft Institute Denmark ^ | April 2 2025 | Max Planck Gesellschaft Institute Staff

[texas booster]

A new study reveals a long-isolated North African human lineage in the Central Sahara during the African humid period more than 7,000 years ago

To the point

DNA analysis from two naturally mummified individuals from Libya: More than 7,000 years ago, during the so-called African Humid Period (Green Sahara), a long isolated human lineage existed in North Africa.

Limited gene flow: The genomes do not carry sub-Saharan African ancestry, suggesting that, contrary to previous interpretations, the Green Sahara was not a migration corridor between Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. The spread of migratory herding in the Green Sahara probably occurred through cultural exchange.

Neandertal genetic traces: The ancient individuals had significantly less Neandertal DNA compared to people outside Africa, indicating a largely isolated North African population.

The study provides critical new insights into the African Humid Period, a time between 14,500 and 5,000 years ago when the Sahara desert was a green savanna, rich in water bodies that facilitated human habitation and the spread of pastoralism. Later aridification turned this region into the world's largest desert. Due to the extreme aridity of the region today, DNA preservation is poor, making this pioneering ancient DNA study all the more significant.

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TOPICS: Education; Health/Medicine; History
KEYWORDS: africa; africanhumidperiod; ancientautopsies; genealogy; godsgravesglyphs; greensahara; helixmakemineadouble; libya; mummification; naturalmummies; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals; northafrica; sahara

[texas booster]

Genomic analyses reveal that the ancestry of the Takarkori rock shelter individuals primarily derives from a North African lineage that diverged from sub-Saharan African populations at about the same time as the modern human lineages that spread outside of Africa around 50,000 years ago. The newly described lineage remained isolated, revealing deep genetic continuity in North Africa during the late Ice Age. While this lineage no longer exists in unadmixed form, this ancestry is still a central genetic component of present-day North African people, highlighting their unique heritage.

Furthermore, these individuals share close genetic ties with 15,000-year-old foragers that lived during the Ice Age in Taforalt Cave, Morocco, associated with the Iberomaurusian lithic industry that predates the African Humid Period. Notably, both groups are equally distant from sub-Saharan African lineages, indicating that despite the Sahara's greening, gene flow between sub-Saharan and North African populations remained limited during the African Humid Period, contrary to previous suggestions.

The study also sheds light on Neandertal ancestry, showing that the Takarkori individuals have ten-fold less Neandertal DNA than people outside Africa, but more than contemporary sub-Saharan Africans. “Our findings suggest that while early North African populations were largely isolated, they received traces of Neandertal DNA due to gene flow from outside Africa,” said senior author Johannes Krause, director at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

[CIB-173RDABN]

That the Sahara was once green and is now a desert puts the lie that climate change is the result of human activity.

The one world globalist are using “climate change” to get control over our life. No law, rule or regulation should be passed or enforced based on the lie that man is changing the earth’s climate.

[Red Badger]

Where did all that sand come from?......................🤔

[AZJeep]

More than 7,000 years ago, during the so-called African Humid Period (Green Sahara),
_____________

BTW, Sahara is turning green again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFBWNU-GE4

Of course, this is devastating effect of global warning!
What would you expect from media?

[MikelTackNailer]

'First ancient genomes from the Green Sahara deciphered'

"What's all this I hear about green Saharan..."

"Huh? Really?"

"Well why didn't you say that?"

[redangus]

So even when it rains and the desert blooms that is also terrible news. If the Garden of Eden reappeared these clowns would whine it is too lush.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the topic and ping!

• Earlier on FR: Unknown human lineage lived in 'Green Sahara' 7,000 years ago, ancient DNA reveals [04/04/2025] (lots of related links in lists)
• Sidebar: Ancient Cave Discovery Reveals That 8,000 Years Ago, the Sahara Was Green [03/10/2025]
• [sidebars in old-style link format] The Lost City: A discovery in the desert could rewrite the history of ancient Egypt [08/28/2010]

[Red Badger]

[SunkenCiv]

They had a big South Pacific theme blowout party at the end of finals week, and as is usually the case, no one wanted to clean up afterward.

[maro]

Because the weather has to be exactly the same as it was in 1975! Forever and ever!

[ek_hornbeck]

I remember years ago seeing a documentary about the Sahara Desert that showed living cypress trees growing in the middle of the desert.

The trees are/were several thousands of years old. They survive by taproots running down into groundwater, and while they produce viable seeds, none can germinate in the desert. In other words, these cypress trees started growing when the Sahara was a savanna that got a foot of rain or more per year as opposed to today's average rainfall of about an inch.

[AZJeep]

Yope,
I observed the Sahara news for many years (I remember well).
While ago, Sahara was growing. Terrible news, soon all world will become Sahara! What about those poor people?
Then the desertification of Sahara stopped and greening started. For a while, they keep reporting about the desertification (they are always off!), then they kind of stopped talking about Sahara, then started something about temporary weather, etc.
Now, they have to admit it, so they are putting terrible spin on it!