Recent research has provided deeper understanding of the interactions among Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Denisovans, highlighting the complexity of human evolution.
Genetic studies have revealed that Neanderthal DNA constitutes approximately 1-2% of the genomes of non-African modern humans. This suggests that interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals occurred around 47,000 years ago, over a period of approximately 7,000 years. This timeline aligns with archaeological evidence indicating that both species coexisted in Eurasia for several millennia.
Similarly, genetic analyses have shown that Denisovans contributed up to 4-6% of the genome in certain modern human populations, particularly in Oceania and parts of Asia. This indicates that Homo sapiens and Denisovans interbred multiple times, with at least three distinct Denisovan lineages contributing to the genetic makeup of modern humans.
These findings underscore the intricate web of interactions among ancient human species, challenging previous notions of human evolution and highlighting the shared genetic heritage that has shaped contemporary human populations.