In 2021, ad Harbinin the Chinese region of Manchuria, in the north of the country, a skull almost intact of a hominid dating back to about 146,000 years ago. Initially scholars believed they were faced with one New species of unknown hominide Until then, baptized Homo Longibut two recent studies published on Science And Cell they seem to confirm that they are instead of the skull of a Homo Denisova. This species extinct of Homo lived in Asia simultaneously with the Neanderthals in Europe and Sapiens in Africa. The discovery is quite important, because to date There are no known remains so complete of the skull of a Homo Denisova.
The Denisovians were probably related Up close to the Neanderthal, but while the latter populated Europe, the North Africa and the Near East, Homo Denisova spread to Asia, with certified finds ranging from Siberia at the China (the name of this kind of hominide derives from the Grotta Denisovain Siberia). Due to the fragmentation of the found fossil finds, It is not clear what the appearance was of these ancient cousins of ours. The attribution to Homo Denisova Of the skull found in Harbin, therefore it is a very important piece to understand how these hominids were made.
Until today It was not possible to extract DNA From Harbin’s skull, and for this reason the attribution to any kind of hominid was not certain. A Chinese research group led by Qiaomei wasof theAcademy of Sciences of Beijingthrough one innovative techniqueinstead he managed to extract the DNA from dental plaque of the individual, finding known traits referable to the genetic heritage of the Denisovians.
Another study of the Academy of Sciences of Beijing has confirmed the attribution of the skull to Homo Denisova through Another extremely innovative technique. Instead of focusing on DNA, Chinese researchers managed to extract 95 Endogenic proteins (i.e. produced directly by the body and therefore not introduced from the outside through nutrition). These presented some amino acid variants directly referable to those detected in other well -known specimens of Homo Denisova.
The Denisovians lived between 285,000 and 25,000 years agoand then extinguish. The species did not disappear from today, but yes hybridfirst with Homo neanderthalensis and later with Homo sapiens. In fact, some of the oldest ethnic groups of Asia and Oceanialike i Negritos from the Philippinesi Melanesiani from the New Guinea they Australian Aborigines They still present traces of Homo Denisova in their genetic heritage.
