Major DNA Study Revises the Origin of the Human Species

A new, large-scale genetic analysis published in Nature in 2023 suggests that the origin of modern humans in Africa was more complex than previously thought. The research challenges the idea that all modern humans descended from a single ancestral population.

The study proposes a scenario where early human groups were scattered in different regions of Africa and intermingled for long periods. Researchers compared genetic material from modern African populations with fossil data from early Homo sapiens.

According to Brenna Henn, Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Davis, the uncertainty is due to limited fossils and scarce ancient DNA. The research team examined scenarios for human evolution, using genomic data from various regions of Africa, including 44 new genomes from the Nama tribe.

The analysis showed that the oldest separation between early human populations occurred 120,000 to 135,000 years ago. Before this separation, populations of the genus Homo exchanged genes for hundreds of thousands of years. The researchers conclude that the roots of modern humans were in a network of connected populations.

The study is also important for the interpretation of fossils. Only a small percentage of genetic variation can be attributed to differences between the original populations. Newer research reinforces the image of a deep and complex African genetic diversity.

Source: CNN.gr