Dramatic Mortality
Was it merely the proximity of the Denisovans and Neanderthals that led to interbreeding? Is it possible that anything else was at work? According to Katerina Harvati-Papatheodorou of the University of Tübingen, such cross-species interactions could have been crucial to survival. “Human groupings were quite small and subject to dramatic mortality,” the German scholar told New Scientist.
Dramatic Mortality
More Information Should Become Available
Scientists hope that when more information becomes available, they may be able to unravel some of the puzzles that have long perplexed those who research human evolution. Did the Denisovans and Neanderthals become extinct as Homo sapiens flourished? Or did they simply become part of the dominant species? In an interview with New Scientist, Princeton University’s Joshua Akey revealed that Denny’s DNA supports the second of those theories, albeit a definite conclusion is still a long way off.
More Information Should Become Available
