Oldest European genomes reveal vanished branch of humanity

About 45,000 years ago, during the icy period of Ice Age Europe, a tiny group of people trekked through the cold landscape, with their dark skin protected by coats lined with fur. These early humans preyed upon woolly rhinoceroses and crafted specialized stone implements. Perhaps they shared tales under cave entrances glowing from campfires. The recent uncovering of ancient genetic material has shed more light on these long-lost forebears and their brief stay on Earth.

Their narrative, unveiled via fossils discovered in Germany and the Czech Republic, adds an unexpected turn to the tale of human migration from Africa.

These genomes represent the earliest remains of modern humans discovered in Europe so far. As with all robust scientific studies, these genetic findings generate more queries than solutions, intensifying the enigma surrounding the precise timing of human departure from Africa and their interactions with our evolutionary relatives, the Neanderthals.

Old DNA and a Lost Heritage

In a cave located in Ranis, Germany, archaeologists discovered bone pieces from six people—constituting a family consisting of a mother, her daughter, and their more distantly related relatives. These remains were analyzed by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and have been traced back approximately 45,000 years. This find belongs to what is referred to as the Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician culture, often abbreviated as LRJ.

This is where things become particularly fascinating. Approximately 230 kilometers away, researchers also analyzed the DNA extracted from an ancient female skull discovered at Zlatý kůň in the Czech Republic. Their findings revealed a connection between the populations of Ranis and Zlatý kůň.

“it’s the same clan, the same large family,” stated Johannes Krause, a geneticist from the Max Planck Institute, told the NY Times It might be possible that they were acquainted with each other.

However, these family groups were small in number—maybe just a few hundred wandered through the extensive, unwelcoming terrain. The limited genetic diversity suggests they lived in isolation.

If I went to New York and picked someone from the Bronx and then took another individual from Long Island, it’s improbable they'd share a recent grandparent," explained Kay Prüfer, a paleogeneticist and co-author of the research. "However, this was the distant past where circumstances differed.

In contrast to contemporary Europeans, the LRJ group didn’t possess genetic traits for fair skin. Instead, they maintained a darker complexion due to their ancestry tracing back to Africa. However, their stay in Europe was brief. Despite enduring an exodus from Africa and living through multiple generations amidst Europe’s unforgiving landscape, their bloodline ultimately vanished without leaving any trace within present-day gene pools.

The Neanderthal Connection

These old genomes highlight a profound link to Neanderthals. As early humans left Africa, they met Neanderthals that had been residing in Europe and Western Asia for eons. These groups intermingled, resulting in remnants of Neanderthal DNA being present in our genetic makeup. Recently, scientists from the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology along with those at UC Berkeley demonstrated that there continues to be evidence of both Neanderthal and Homo sapiens interbreeding was believed to last around 7,000 years .

The LRJ individuals possessed extensive segments of Neanderthal DNA, indicating that their forebears had mated with Neanderthals around 1,000 to 2,500 years prior to this period—approximately 46,000 years ago. As previously noted, research conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology supported a comparable timeframe following an examination of Neanderthal DNA extracted from ancient remains and contrasting these genetic markers against those found in contemporary humans.

This scheduling narrows the timeframe for when humans migrated from the Middle East into Europe.

"It was truly amazing to observe such a close dating," stated Priya Moorjani, a paleogeneticist from the University of California, Berkeley, who co-authored the associated research paper.

Interestingly, despite the LRJ people possessing Neanderthal heritage, they did not contribute their genetic material to subsequent generations. Similarly, like the Neanderthals—who disappeared approximately 40,000 years ago—the LRJ people also faced extinction.

"It’s somewhat intriguing to observe that the human narrative isn’t always one of triumph," Krause mentioned. CNN .

A Disappearing Strand of Humankind

These ancient genomes have transformed our comprehension of human movement across continents. Although modern humans arrived in Australia around 65,000 years ago and potentially reached China as early as 100,000 years ago, the LRJ individuals signify a later influx into Europe. Numerous similar migrations likely took place throughout human history as we moved out of Africa. In the end, certain populations proved more adaptable compared to their counterparts.

This poses an intriguing question: Who were the individuals responsible for leaving behind those ancient fossils and tools in Asia and Australia?

These disclosures underscore the precarious nature of existence for our earliest ancestors. Sparse communities were at risk of vanishing completely, even as some managed to flourish. Certain trajectories faded away amidst the chill, whereas others progressed boldly, molding the planet into what we recognize now.

The latest discoveries were published in the journal Nature .

The tale initially surfaced on ZME Science . Want to get smarter every day? Subscribe to our newsletter and stay ahead with the latest science news.