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'Mystery population' of human ancestors gave us 20% of our genes and may have boosted our brain function
Live Science ^ | March 18, 2025 | Kristina Killgrove

Posted on 08/08/2025 12:25:29 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

The ancestors of all modern humans split off from a mystery population 1.5 million years ago and then reconnected with them 300,000 years ago, a new genetic model suggests. The unknown population contributed 20% of our DNA and may have boosted humans' brain function...

In a study published Tuesday (March 18) in the journal Nature Genetics, researchers presented a new method of modeling genomic data, called "cobraa," that has allowed them to trace the evolution of modern humans (Homo sapiens).

By applying their new method to modern human DNA data published in the 1000 Genomes Project and the Human Genome Diversity Project, the researchers discovered that there were two main ancestral groups that split around 1.5 million years ago, which they called Population A and Population B.

Just after that split, Population A experienced a bottleneck when the population plummeted and likely lost a significant amount of genetic diversity. But Population A grew over time, and Neanderthals and Denisovans branched off from it.

Then, around 300,000 years ago, Population A mixed with Population B, the researchers found. Their genetic analysis suggests that 80% of the genome of all present-day humans comes from Population A, while 20% of our genome comes from Population B...

Who those populations were, however, is not clear. In the study, the researchers noted that "various Homo erectus and Homo heidelbergensis populations that are potential candidates for lineages A and B existed both in Africa and elsewhere in the relevant period."
...But one of the drawbacks to the new model, according to Hawks, is that it is based on the 1000 Genomes Project, which has a low representation of African populations.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: 1000genomes; 300manyearsoflabor; africa; bottleneck; cobraa; denisovans; dna; genealogy; ghostpopulation; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; homoerectus; homohabilis; homoheidelbergensis; homosapiens; humangenomediversity; introgression; kristinakillgrove; livescience; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals; nephilim; noahsmalarkey; populationa; populationb
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To: SunkenCiv

I’m surprised the aliens guy has shown up on the thread yet. LOL


21 posted on 08/08/2025 1:01:10 PM PDT by MortMan (Charter member of AAAAA - American Association Against Alliteration Abuse)
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Selections from a bunch of homo keywords, sorted:

22 posted on 08/08/2025 1:01:42 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The moron troll Ted Holden believes that humans originated on Ganymede.)
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To: BenLurkin; Ignatz
Is such a thing even possible? Yes, it is.
Giorgio A. Tsoukalos

23 posted on 08/08/2025 1:02:45 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The moron troll Ted Holden believes that humans originated on Ganymede.)
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To: BigFreakinToad

Bingo, ancient aliens. There’s no way the Egyptians built the pyramids without technological help.


24 posted on 08/08/2025 1:04:15 PM PDT by DeplorablePaul
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To: SunkenCiv

“The ancestors of all modern humans split off from a mystery population 1.5 million years ago and then reconnected with them 300,000 years ago, a new genetic model suggests.”

That must have been some family feud, like on the scale of the Hatfields and the McCoys! ;)


25 posted on 08/08/2025 1:11:23 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Someone put raisins in the coleslaw.


26 posted on 08/08/2025 1:24:11 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: z3n
Sorry for all the parenthesis

They were balanced. You are good to go.

27 posted on 08/08/2025 1:24:40 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: SunkenCiv

28 posted on 08/08/2025 1:33:34 PM PDT by frogjerk
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To: SunkenCiv

Does the article explain how come so many DNC voters (the real, live ones - not the ones in the cemetery) missed out on inheriting all those brains?


29 posted on 08/08/2025 1:44:52 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: SunkenCiv

Yeah, we all blak now


30 posted on 08/08/2025 1:58:46 PM PDT by Maskot (Put every dem/lib in prison........like yesterday!!! )
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To: SunkenCiv

At publishing time, Leeloo was not available for comment.


31 posted on 08/08/2025 2:07:15 PM PDT by Bernard (Issue an annual budget. And Issue a federal government balance sheet. Let's see what we got.)
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To: faithhopecharity

😁


32 posted on 08/08/2025 2:14:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The moron troll Ted Holden believes that humans originated on Ganymede.)
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To: Bernard

Heh... that’s a prime example of sci-fi not making a lick of sense — OTOH it’s always fun to watch.


33 posted on 08/08/2025 2:20:56 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The moron troll Ted Holden believes that humans originated on Ganymede.)
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To: SunkenCiv

When you have too many people in a tribe, it’s more difficult to feed everyone.

Makes sense for groups to separate to look for better hunting grounds.


34 posted on 08/08/2025 2:22:51 PM PDT by airborne (Thank you Rush for helping me find FreeRepublic! )
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To: airborne
Makes sense for groups to separate to look for better hunting grounds.

Or just to get away from all the snoring!

35 posted on 08/08/2025 2:30:12 PM PDT by null and void (We are living through the greatest of all ICE Ages.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

That would TOTALLY do it for me! Blech! ;)


36 posted on 08/08/2025 4:21:11 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: airborne

I dunno about that, those statues of really fat chicks in sites like Catal Huyuk leads me to believe that there were Peg Bundy types in prehistoric times.


37 posted on 08/08/2025 4:59:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The moron troll Ted Holden believes that humans originated on Ganymede.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
People are all " It is not that bad."

And all the time, they KNOW what they did.

Some things just can't be talked out.

I will add that bringing banana flavored instant pudding with no wafers or bananas when you said you would bring "Banana Puddling" is another such issue. You are on the Paper Products list for life.

38 posted on 08/08/2025 5:15:22 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Yep.

‘Hippy Micro-Brew Obsessed Brother In Law?’ You bring the beer...though we’ll have to LISTEN TO the intricacies of whatever beer you’ve brought...FOR HOURS, LOL!

(In his defense - he brews his own Raspberry Beer with homemade ingredients that is simply AMAZING - and I really don’t even LIKE beer!)


39 posted on 08/08/2025 5:38:12 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
If it is good enough I am the master of the "smile, nod and look interested" while mentally adding white pepper and old bay to my grocery list and wondering if I should plant more carnations on the right side of the house. :)

(The answer is yes, always plant more carnations.)

40 posted on 08/08/2025 5:46:06 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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