The problem with thinking you’re part Neanderthal
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A new study by French population geneticists Lounès Chikhi and Rémi Tournebize challenges the popular theory that modern humans inherited DNA from Neanderthal ancestors. The researchers propose an alternative explanation for the genomic patterns, taking into account the complex population structure of early human societies.
Researchers Lounès Chikhi and Rémi Tournebize have questioned the theory that modern humans inherited DNA from Neanderthals. They suggest that the original evidence was based on a statistical assumption that humans mated randomly in large populations. However, archaeological and genetic evidence shows that early human societies were organized in smaller, structured groups. This complexity can explain the shared DNA without requiring interspecies mating. The study highlights the importance of considering population structure in evolutionary biology. Chikhi and Tournebize's argument is about the methods used in modern evolutionary science, and how they can be improved to better understand genetic data.
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