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Paleogenomics Unveils the Evolutionary Journey of Modern Humans

Writing a commentary in the 50th anniversary issue of Cell, FU Qiaomei and E. Andrew Bennett, both of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explored the contribution of paleogenomics to our understanding of the evolution of modern humans.

1 Mar 2024

The Story of Sapiens and Neanderthals as Told by Genomes

Neanderthals, who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years on the western half of the Eurasian continent, gave way to Homo sapiens, who had come from Africa, some 40,000 years ago.

19 Oct 2023

Increased Pain Sensitivity and Neanderthal Gene Variants

According to a recent study co-led by UCL researchers, those who contain three gene variations acquired from Neanderthals are more susceptible to specific types of pain.

11 Oct 2023

New Research Suggests a Key Role of Ice Age Cycles in Early Human Interbreeding

A study published in Science indicates that climatic shifts over the past 400,000 years have influenced Neanderthal and Denisovan interbreeding.

16 Aug 2023

Neanderthal Genes are Responsible for Certain Traits in Modern Humans

Recent scientific discoveries have shown that Neanderthal genes comprise some 1 to 4% of the genome of present-day humans whose ancestors migrated out of Africa, but the question remained open on how much those genes are still actively influencing human traits -; until now.

9 Jun 2023

Untangling the Effects of Admixture on the Genomes of Modern Humans

The course of human history has been marked by complex patterns of migration, isolation, and admixture, the latter a term that refers to gene flow between individuals from different populations.

22 May 2023

Genetic Material Inherited from Neanderthals Influences the Shape of Our Noses

Humans inherited genetic material from Neanderthals that affects the shape of our noses, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

9 May 2023

Genetic study emphasizes the significance of “balancing selection” in evolution

Nature can maintain various genetic features in balance as a species grows over millions of years, much like a merchant of old would do when balancing the weights of two distinct products on a scale.

23 Feb 2023

High diversity in T-cell receptor genes explains diverse response to infections

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have demonstrated that the genes that encode the T cell receptors change significantly between individuals and communities, which could help explain why people react differently to certain diseases.

17 Feb 2023

Fastest-evolved regions of the human genome diverged rapidly after split from chimpanzee ancestor

A team of Duke researchers has identified a group of human DNA sequences driving changes in brain development, digestion and immunity that seem to have evolved rapidly after our family line split from that of the chimpanzees, but before we split with the Neanderthals.

24 Nov 2022

Researchers reveal key developmental difference between the brains of modern humans and Neanderthals

AZoLifesciences speaks to Dr. Anneline Pinson and Prof. Dr. Wieland B. Huttner from The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics about their latest research which found a greater neuron production in the frontal lobe during brain development in modern humans than Neanderthals, due to the change of a single amino acid in the protein TKTL1.

From The Max Planck Institute 20 Sep 2022

Crucial gene in maize modulates specific chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, study finds

North Carolina State University researchers revealed that a crucial gene in maize called HPC1 modulates some chemical processes that contribute to flowering time.

4 Jul 2022

Vienna researchers aim to solve a great mystery of human evolution

Using the latest scientific methods, Tom Higham and Katerina Douka from the University of Vienna want to solve a great mystery of human evolution: Why are we the only humans left? Higham and Douka were the first ones to find a first-generation offspring of two different types of human. They continuously publish new results in high impact journals, most recently in Science Advances.

3 Jun 2022

National DNA Day 2022: an interview with Professor Matthew Cobb

To celebrate National DNA Day 2022, we spoke to science communicator Professor Matthew Cobb.

From The University of Manchester 25 Apr 2022

A highly effective protection against oxidative stress developed by present-day humans

Very few proteins in the body have a change that makes them unique compared to the corresponding proteins in Neanderthals and apes. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany and Karolinska Institute in Sweden have now studied one such protein, glutathione reductase, which protects against oxidative stress.

From The Max Planck Institute 6 Jan 2022

Researchers examine the deep past of human population dynamics

The current year marks the 20th anniversary of human genome sequencing. To mark this event, scientists headed by Professor Qiaomei Fu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reviewed the current progress in the area of ancient DNA (aDNA)—DNA acquired from the remains of past organisms.

28 Sep 2021

Study analyzes human genomes from the Middle East

Whole-genome sequencing activities have provided valuable insights into historical migrations, human diversity, and the relationships between people of different regions.

10 Aug 2021

Scientists characterize the genetic diversity of populations in the South Pacific

Describing the genetic diversity of human populations is essential to improve our understanding of human diseases and their geographical distribution.

From Institut Pasteur 15 Apr 2021

Genomes of earliest Europeans and their association with Neanderthals

An international research team has sequenced the genomes of the oldest securely dated modern humans in Europe who lived around 45,000 years ago in Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria.

8 Apr 2021

Fossil skull of a woman provides the oldest reconstructed modern human genome to date

Ancient DNA from Neanderthals and early modern humans has recently shown that the groups likely interbred somewhere in the Near East after modern humans left Africa some 50,000 years ago. As a result, all people outside Africa carry around 2% to 3% Neanderthal DNA.

8 Apr 2021