Our Human Family Tree opus 544
| 24 March 2025 1300 Hours | | Genetics, Anthropology, Biology, Evolution, History |
The human family tree now seems
To be not a single line of ancestors,
But it appears there was a population split
1.5 million years ago and a reuniting 300,000 years ago.
Analyzing modern human DNA shows that one
Of these isolated populations was genetically dominant.
Along the way, humans shared genes
With Denisovans and Neanderthals.
The ancient mixing event 300,000 years ago
Resulted in only about 20 percent of modern human genes
Coming from a minority population.
The larger (80 percent) ancestral population
Contributing to modern humans,
Also appears to have been ancestral
To Denisovans and Neanderthals.
Some of the genes from the ancient minority (20%) population,
Importantly, contributed brain function and neural processing,
Playing a crucial role in human evolution.
Was one of these ancient populations possibly
Homo erectus and as yet an unknown Homo?