Theory of evolution has always fascinated humans. Be it the formation of universe, plants or how the blue planet came into being. History has always been tightly linked with our present times. Recently, DNA extracts from the remains found in a Bulgarian cave reveal surprising details.
These three people who lived roughly 45,000 years ago, their DNA shows extensive interbreeding with Neanderthals. It also has genetic links to present-day East Asians.
Researchers sequenced the genomes of these three individuals. They were all males. They used DNA obtained from a molar and bone fragments discovered in Bacho Kiro Cave near the town of Dryanovo. There was one female also who lived roughly 35,000 years ago at the same site.
Analysis shows that our species first appeared in Africa approximately 300,000 years ago. It later trekked to other parts of the world. Moreover, they sometimes encountered Neanderthals who are our close cousins.
These three Bacho Kiro Cave males represent the oldest securely dated Homo sapiens individuals from Europe.
They had 3 per cent to 3.8 per cent Neanderthal DNA. They also had Neanderthal ancestors about five to seven generations back in their family histories.
This new analysis suggests interbreeding was more common than previously thought for the first Homo sapiens in Europe.
Researchers also detected a genetic contribution among present-day people from the group that included these three.
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