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New genetic research is reshaping how scientists understand ancient relationships between early humans and Neanderthals. A study published in Science suggests that mating between Homo sapiens women and Neanderthal men occurred more often than the reverse, leaving a lasting mark on the human genome. The finding helps explain a long-standing mystery in genetics. Modern humans carry small amounts of Neanderthal DNA across most of their genome, but almost none on the X chromosome. These gaps, known as Neanderthal deserts, puzzled scientists for years. Modern humans and Neanderthals split from a shared ancestor about 600,000 years ago. Human ancestors evolved in...

NEW YORK (AP) — Humans and Neanderthals cozied up from time to time when they lived in the same areas tens of thousands of years ago. But we don’t know much about who got with whom, or why. A new genetic analysis offers some ancient gossip: The pairings were more often female humans with male Neanderthals. How exactly this happened remains a huge question mark. Did human women venture into Neanderthal populations, or were the Neanderthal males drawn to larger human enclaves? Were these interactions peaceful, confusing, secretive or even violent? “I don’t know if we’ll ever get a definitive...

An Arizona couple allegedly found a pair of blood-stained gloves and a rock with a dried blood droplet in the desert a mile from Nancy Guthrie’s home — days after she was reported missing, according to a report. The couple, who asked to remain anonymous, stumbled upon the suspicious black gloves on the ground 10 feet apart off Campbell Avenue in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson on Feb. 11, KVOA reported on Friday. “Sure enough, it was a black glove in the desert. It appeared to have looked like it was ripped. It also appeared to look like it had...

“Investigators in Nancy Guthrie's case have turned their attention toward a pinky ring they believe her alleged abductor was wearing in chilling doorbell camera footage taken before she vanished. Meanwhile, TMZ announced on Wednesday that it has received a new 'sophisticated' ransom note in connection to missing Nancy, who is the mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie.“

A black glove found near the Arizona home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie appears to match those worn by the suspect seen in a doorbell camera video, according to the FBI.The glove, which contains DNA evidence, was one of approximately 16 gloves collected by investigators in various areas near the house. Most of those gloves belonged to searchers who discarded them while working the area, the FBI said."The one with the DNA profile recovered is different and appears to match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video," the FBI said in a statement.

Nearly 44 years after 13-year-old Sarah Geer was brutally raped and strangled to death in a Cloverdale alley, the girl’s murderer has been convicted, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office announced. On Friday, a Sonoma County jury found 66-year-old James Oliver Unick guilty of the May 23, 1982, murder and found true that he committed a sexual assault during the commission of murder. Unick was ultimately identified as the suspect and arrested on July 22, 2024, after a cigarette he had smoked was collected by FBI agents and analyzed to be a match of DNA evidence at the scene of...

The unknown male DNA profile on a glove found two miles from the home of Nancy Guthrie has been run through the FBI’s DNA database – and did not result in any hits, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News chief correspondent Jonathan Hunt in an interview on Tuesday. DNA recovered from Guthrie's home also did not match records in the FBI database, Nanos said. The sheriff confirmed that the DNA on the glove was different from the DNA found inside the home. The FBI confirmed the news to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. The sheriff's department later provided...

The mystery DNA found on a potentially crucial glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home — as well as other genetic material in her house — do not match any records in the FBI’s database, officials said Tuesday.

INDIANAPOLIS — The man who raped, stabbed and murdered a 19-year-old Indianapolis woman over 30 years ago will now spend nearly 50 years behind bars. Dana Shepherd, 53, was sentenced on Friday to 45 years in prison. Van Huss was raped and stabbed 61 times by a man who broke into her studio apartment. After first being discovered by her father, police said they found her nude body lying in a large pool of blood. “We hope after all this time people understand how violent my sister’s murder was,” Jimmy Van Huss said in 2024. “She was raped and stabbed...

RIO RICO, AZ — A man who says he was detained by Pima County Sheriff's deputies for "kidnapping" Nancy Guthrie spoke exclusively to ABC15 following his release. On Tuesday night, authorities confirmed that they had detained a man during a traffic stop in a location south of Tucson, the source said, and law enforcement is preparing to search a location associated with the individual They didn't even tell me what's going on until the detectives got here... They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked them, "Kidnapping of who?"" In the exclusive interview, the man, who...

Detective Shaun McCarthy has worked on a lot of cases in his more than 40 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “I was 10 years as a street gang detective, and now I’m in my 23rd year as a homicide detective,” he said. “So, a total of 33 years as a detective.” These days, he devotes his time to the cases that remain unsolved. “To solve a homicide and prosecute somebody who committed the worst crime, there is nothing higher than that.” This is why he says he said couldn’t fully retire. McCarthy, like many others in the...

According to a statement released by the University of Vienna, an international team of researchers has identified a rare genetic condition in the remains of a mother and daughter who were buried in an embrace in the same grave more than 12,000 years ago. The burial was discovered in 1963 at Grotta del Romito in southern Italy. Romito 1, the remains of a woman who stood under five feet tall, held the remains of Romito 2, an adolescent girl with pronounced limb shortening, and an estimated height of about 3.5 feet. DNA analysis also showed that the daughter carried two...

Many factors influence how long you live, such as diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, environment and other variables. It also helps not to get hit by a dump truck. But what about your genes? That has been a contentious question for decades. A new study points to a larger role for genetics than previous research had indicated, estimating the contribution of genes to determining human lifespan at about 50 per cent. That is roughly double what prior research concluded, and it mirrors the findings of lifespan studies in laboratory animals. "Lifespan is undoubtedly shaped by many factors, including lifestyle, genes and,...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — After over 45 years of uncertainty, the families of Lynn Vest and her 2-year-old nephew, Jeremy Pickens, finally have answers. The pair disappeared in November 1980 after going out to run errands, last seen at Hamilton and Main in Whitehall, and were found dead in the trunk of Vest's car, four miles away at Kelton and Main Streets. The father of Vest, a CPD robbery detective at the time, had reported them missing. Lynn had been strangled, and Jeremy suffocated. Missing from the scene were Lynn's credit card, some money, and her wedding ring. On Friday,...

Embark on a fascinating journey through Scotland's genetic history, spanning 12,000 years! Discover how waves of migration - from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers to Vikings and Normans - have shaped Scottish DNA. Learn about groundbreaking studies revealing unexpected connections to Siberian tribes and North African genes. We'll explore regional genetic clusters, the origins of Scottish surnames, and even uncover some royal DNA! Scotland's Ancient DNA Revealed | 16:49 The History Hub | 165K subscribers | 1,137,164 views | September 15, 2024 dna scotland [YouTube search]

European researchers have achieved a milestone in paleogenomics by sequencing RNA from a woolly mammoth specimen dating back approximately 39,000 to 40,000 years, roughly three times older than the previous record for ancient RNA. The RNA was recovered from a well-preserved juvenile mammoth known as Yuka, discovered in northern Siberian permafrost in 2010, according to Love Dalén, a professor of evolutionary genomics at Stockholm University and lead author of a study published in the journal Cell. Dalén told the Wall Street Journal that the findings could aid in identifying the genetic traits responsible for the mammoth’s distinctive woolly coat. The...

The most direct way to answer the ancestry question is through genetics. Recent studies of ancient DNA (aDNA) have provided a robust, chronologically consistent picture of the Egyptian people’s origins, showing remarkable stability over thousands of years, followed by gradual admixture. Genetic evidence shows that the foundational population of the Nile Valley was established long before the first dynasty. During the “Green Sahara” period (approx. 11,000 to 5,000 years ago), populations migrated towards the Nile from all directions as the Sahara dried, creating a unique, indigenous mix of Northeast African peoples and migrants from the Near East. A breakthrough 2025...

A central claim among those who deny a link between ancient and modern Egyptians is that subsequent invasions replaced the original population. This is not supported by demographic, genetic, or linguistic evidence. Genetic studies show ancient Egypt DNA continues.The Greek and Roman Periods: The Ptolemaic Greeks and later the Romans ruled as small, elite minorities. Their demographic footprint on the overall gene pool of Egypt was negligible.The Arab Conquest (7th Century CE): This was the most significant cultural event, introducing Arabic and Islam. However, this was a case of elite dominance and cultural diffusion, not population replacement. The Genetic Impact:...

An international team of researchers have successfully recovered and analysed ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies dating from approximately 1400 BCE to 400 BCE, including the first genome-wide data from three individuals. The study found that modern Egyptians share more ancestry with sub-Saharan Africans than ancient Egyptians did, whereas ancient Egyptians were found to be most closely related to ancient people from the Middle East and Western Asia. This study counters prior scepticism about the possibility of recovering reliable ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies. Despite the potential issues of degradation and contamination caused by climate and mummification methods, the authors were...

The initial suspect, Judith Lord's neighbor, has been found responsible for her murder.The 1975 murder of Judith Lord in New Hampshire has now been solved through modern forensic science, the state Attorney General’s Office announced Monday. On May 20, 1975, Judith “Judy” Lord, 22, was found strangled to death in her home at the Concord Garden Apartments. The buildings operations manager, who went to Lord’s apartment to collect overdue rent, entered after hearing a baby’s persistent cries and discovered Lord lying unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom with a blue plastic sauna suit covering her face, officials said. Lord’s 20-month-old son...