As a non-native English speaker, I advise everyone that no sane people would want to take credit for English. It is insane.
I’d also note that, by its very design, English absorbs ever other language, especially American English. And even some non-languages, like urban low class black.
So while the scientists’ thesis is absurd, I have no doubt English has absorbed Mandarin in some way.
It has.
When I first went to Singapore over 30 years ago, i learned my first Mandarin.
I entered a store, and the shopkeeper said,
“Wa ya wan?”
Perhaps, but I am to gung ho for English to kowtow to Chinese