A fossil tooth places enigmatic ancient humans in Southeast Asia
An international team of researchers has discovered a tooth belonging to a Denisovan, an ancient human species previously only known from icy northern latitudes.
Irene Gallego Romero discusses Denisovan DNA in a virtual lecture
Join Leakey Foundation grantee Dr. Gallego Romero for a virtual lecture on her ongoing research in partnership with local researchers in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. She will characterize the legacy of DNA from archaic Denisovans that is present-day Papuan DNA. She will also explore the positioning of Indonesia in the global human genetics landscape.
Fresh Clues to the Life and Times of the Denisovans
We know that some modern human genomes contain fragments of DNA from an ancient population of humans called Denisovans, the remains of which have been found at only one site, a cave in what is now Siberia. Two recent papers published in Nature give us a firmer understanding of when these little-known archaic hominins lived.
New Studies Reveal the History of Denisova Cave
An extinct branch of hominins called the Denisovans is one of the most elusive members of our extended family tree: So far there have been only four individuals found in a single Siberian cave. Now researchers have done the painstaking work of dating the fossils, sediments, and artifacts found in that famous cave, including what might be the first evidence for crafts made by our long-lost cousins.
Neanderthal Mother, Denisovan Father
Together with their sister group the Neanderthals, Denisovans are the closest extinct relatives of currently living humans. Now researchers have discovered a tiny fossil from an individual who is the offspring of a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan father.