Only 5% of our genes distinguish us from Neanderthals

The The gene of our race Now it’s not talking about who we are. It shows who we are and which path we followed to get here. Punching around History written in our genes, In fact, we find ‘sapiens’ We share 93 to 98.5% of our gene with Neanderthals and Denisovans And other extinct hominids. Or in other words, modern humans can only boast 1.5 to 7% of our genes. Everything else is thousands and thousands of years of evolution, mixed between migrants and creatures.

This is a spectacular result A study This was published in the journal ‘Scientific Advances’ this Friday. This work, led by researchers at the University of California, was able to reconstruct The last 600,000 years of the history of our race With a powerful help Mathematical algorithm. Thanks to this tool, scientists were able to compare 279 modern human genes, two Neanderthal genes and a The genome has been confirmed To see how our DNA has changed over time and what are the genes that differentiate us from other hominids that are already extinct. Its end? Our differences are rarely reflected in 5% of our genes, most of them To do with brain development and function.

“This is the first time we have a number that summarizes the differences between‘ sapiens ’and other ancient hominids,” he says. Jumei Bertranpadit, A researcher at the Institute de Biology Evolotiva (IPE-UPF-CSIC), an independent expert on the study questioned by this newspaper. “Some people will be surprised to see these percentages because the difference seems small, but in biology, Lots of 5% genetic differences“To understand what lies behind these figures, the scientist says, Bertranpedit begins with a very simple paradigm. All kinds of life share genetic similarity. In practice, the differences are clear.

History of migration, cross-sections and exchanges

But does that mean that our gene is 95% compatible with Neanderthals and Denisovans? “These numbers show us that modern humans did not evolve in isolation. We are the result of a long history of migration and crucifixion between species,” he concludes. Marina Lozano Placeholder Image, Researcher at the Catalan Institute of Human Biology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA) and associate professor at the University of Rovira I Virgili (URV). “We need to stop thinking of ourselves as a unique race superior to others and begin to see ourselves as part of a more complex process. You need to change the story“, The scientist comments.

Genetic analysis, in fact, reconstructs Find out about these displacements and crosses Is in our DNA. According to research, our genes hold two great memories Displacement eruptions: One happened about 600,000 years ago, the other about 200,000 years ago. During this time, our species interfered with the population of Neanderthals denisovanos. “This finding confirms many of the hypotheses that have been raised in recent years from genetics and paleontrophysiology,” Lozano told EL PERIÓDICO.

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The Genetic map of our species For example, it shows There are still so many genes by Neanderthal In some African people (Fruit, probably, in Migration of hominids in the region). That too is amazing Current people of Oceania Save in your DNA Denisovan track, The Mysterious human species were discovered a few years ago And only a few fossil remains have been found. In both cases, the gene is undoubtedly a History rich in migration, crosses and exchanges between species.

Bertranpett, for his part, invites you to read this story as a wonderful story Random mutations And persistent or disappearing genetic changes depending Natural selection. So, if we had most of the genetic heritage of our ancestors, it would have helped us to get here, in depth.