Tag Archives: sapiens

Discovering Shared Lifestyles: Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens Coexisted in an Ancient Turkish Cave

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Recent discoveries in the Üçağızlı II cave along the stunning Mediterranean coast of Turkey reveal comprehensive records suggesting that the cultural transition from Neanderthals to modern humans was far more fluid than previously recognized.

A group of Neanderthals in a cave. Image credit: Tyler B. Tretsven.

“During the mid-to-late Pleistocene, the Levant served as a crucial corridor for the dispersal of our species, homo sapiens, between Africa and Eurasia,” stated Kyoto University archaeologist Naoki Morimoto and colleagues.

“Evidence of early human settlement in the Levant and sporadic expansions into Eurasia is supported by hominid fossils sourced from Misliya Cave (approximately 180,000 years ago), Kafze and Sukfur Cave (around 100,000 years ago), and Apidima Cave (about 200,000 years ago).

“Various models have been proposed concerning events outside Africa; a prevailing hypothesis suggests multiple dispersals between 130,000 and 80,000 years ago were followed by significant migrations out of Africa approximately 60,000 years ago, which ultimately led to the genetic evolution of modern human populations.”

“There is a substantial lack of fossil data from the period corresponding to the large-scale migration out of Africa, which leaves many questions unanswered regarding homo sapiens.”

“Key questions focus on the tempo, mode, and behavioral context of interactions between homo sapiens and homo neanderthalensis.”

“The Levant remains one of the few regions where both modern humans and Neanderthals coexisted.”

In the Üçağızlı II cave, located in the northern tip of the Levant near the Orontes River, archaeologists uncovered an intricate series of artifacts, including teeth, stone tools, animal remains, and shells, dating from approximately 77,000 to 47,000 years ago.

Teeth analysis indicated that the oldest layer (77,000 to 59,000 years ago) contained Neanderthal dentition, while the upper layer (59,000 to 47,000 years ago) held early human remains attributed to homo sapiens.

What fascinated archaeologists was not merely the change in species but the persistence of behavioral patterns.

Both Neanderthals and modern humans crafted remarkably similar stone tools influenced by the Middle Paleolithic, or Mousterian, tradition, employed similar hunting methods for wild goats, fallow deer, roe deer, and wild boar, and collected the same marine snail shells, Columbella rustica, likely utilized for decoration rather than sustenance.

Some of these shells displayed indications of intentional perforations or color alterations from heat exposure, implying that both species regarded shells as symbolic or decorative items rather than food sources.

Carved stone artifacts and other manuports (objects brought to the site but not utilized) were also present throughout the site, revealing shared traditions across species.

“Our findings illustrate a profound level of cultural interchange,” emphasized Dr. Morimoto.

“These two distinct yet closely related human groups were not only adapted to the same environment but likely shared symbolic values.”

The researchers assert that their results differ markedly from patterns seen at other archaeological sites, such as France’s Mandolin Cave, where distinct layers show alternating settlements of modern humans and Neanderthals.

In contrast, Üçağızlı II cave exhibits cultural continuity that transcends biological change, indicating ongoing close interactions between the two species in this region.

“The findings from Üçağızlı II cave fill significant gaps in global archaeological and paleontological records and have the potential to transform our understanding of how early human species interacted, communicated, and shared their environments,” the scientists concluded.

Discover the full findings in the upcoming issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Ismail Baykara and colleagues. 2026. Long-term cultural continuity from Neanderthals to modern humans in Üçağızlı II cave in the northern Levant. PNAS 123 (29): e2609061123; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2609061123

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Hominin: Potential Overlap with Sulawesi’s Homo Sapiens Revealed

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Leang Bulu Betu, a rock shelter located in the Maros Pankep karst region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, has become a pivotal site for paleoanthropological research. Scholars have uncovered one of the most thorough records of early human habitation in Wallasia, which serves as a critical junction between Asia and Australia. This groundbreaking discovery highlights the timeline of Homo sapiens, revealing their adaptation and existence tens of thousands of years ago, alongside ancient human species.

Leang Bulu Bettue in the Maros Pankep karst region of South Sulawesi. Image credit: Burhan et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0337993.

At Leang Bulu Betu, Basran Burhan and his team from Griffith University have uncovered a wealth of artifacts, stone tools, and animal remains dating back to the Pleistocene era.

Burhan stated, “The depth and continuity of cultural sequences at Leang Bulu Bettue now position this cave as a key site for exploring potential overlaps between different hominin lineages.”

The initial stages of occupation date back approximately 208,000 years and are defined by simple stone tools and evidence of animal slaughter.

Among the significant artifacts are strong stone tools referred to as picks, indicating that archaic human cultural practices predated the arrival of modern humans.

Professor Adam Blum from Griffith University remarked, “These findings suggest an archaic human cultural tradition that persisted into the late Pleistocene in Sulawesi.”

Archaeological evidence indicates a notable transformation around 40,000 years ago, showing advancements in stone technology and the emergence of symbolic behavior, which are closely associated with Homo sapiens.

Burhan noted, “This later phase was marked by a unique technological toolkit and the earliest evidence of artistic expression and symbolic behavior on the island.”

Sulawesi plays a critical role in the narrative of human evolution due to its geographic location between the continents of Asia and Sahul, which once linked Australia and New Guinea, making it a vital conduit for early human migration.

Despite this significance, the area’s dense forests and complex terrains have resulted in a surprisingly minimal archaeological record to date.

This new research raises intriguing possibilities about the coexistence of Homo sapiens with their extinct relatives on Sulawesi.

The researchers propose that Leang Bulu Bettue could provide the first tangible archaeological evidence of this chronological overlap and potential interactions.

The later layers reveal signs of symbolic and cultural behaviors, echoing discoveries at other ancient Sulawesi sites known for rock art and advanced tools.

These advancements were initially thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens, suggesting that the arrival of modern humans brought not only technological innovations but also new cognitive and cultural practices.

Professor Blum expressed, “Archaeological research on Sulawesi is particularly compelling because, unlike Australia, which shows no evidence of human habitation prior to our species’ arrival, Sulawesi was inhabited by various hominins for a million years before our emergence.”

“If we dig deep enough, we may find evidence of interactions between these different human species.”

Burhan stated, “There may be several more meters of archaeological layers beneath the deepest level we have explored at Leang Bulu Bettue.”

“Further investigations at this site could yield groundbreaking discoveries that reshape our understanding of early human history on Sulawesi and beyond.”

The findings were published in December 2025 in the journal PLoS ONE.

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B. Burhan et al. 2025. A near-continuous archaeological record of Pleistocene human occupation discovered at Leang Bulu Bettue, Sulawesi, Indonesia. PLoS ONE 20 (12): e0337993; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0337993

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient 773,000-Year-Old Hominin Fossils from Morocco Shed Light on the Origins of Homo sapiens

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Recent discoveries of hominin fossils in the Thomas Quarry I cave located in Casablanca, Morocco, provide crucial insights into the early origins of homo sapiens. These findings indicate that the lineage leading to modern humans was potentially established in Africa nearly 800,000 years ago. The fossils, although similar in age to the ancestor of homo discovered in Spain, display a mix of primitive and advanced traits reminiscent of post-Eurasian hominins, including homo sapiens.

Reconstruction of homo erectus.

Paleoanthropologists have long debated the origins of Neanderthals and Denisovans, the last common ancestors of modern humans. Genetic studies reveal that this ancestor likely existed between approximately 765,000 and 550,000 years ago, although fossil records are still inconclusive.

While some researchers have posited a Eurasian origin based on fossils unearthed in Atapuerca, Spain, dating back to 950,000 to 770,000 years ago, the new findings from Morocco reinforce the theory of an African origin.

Recent discoveries from the Moroccan cave, including mandible fragments, teeth, vertebrae, and femur pieces, bolster the evidence supporting Africa as the cradle of human evolution.

Analysis of the sediments surrounding these fossils indicates that they date back approximately 773,000 years, coinciding with significant changes in the Earth’s magnetic field, aligning with the era of the ancestor of homo.

Interestingly, the new fossils present distinct morphological differences. The evidence suggests that regional differentiation between Europe and North Africa was already evident by the late Early Pleistocene, spanning from around 1.8 million to 780,000 years ago.

The Moroccan fossils exhibit a blend of primitive features linked to species like homo erectus alongside more modern traits found in homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

For instance, their molar size aligns with earlier homo sapiens fossils, while the jaw shape resembles that of Neanderthals and other African archaic humans.

Although the Moroccan fossil may not serve as the ultimate last common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans, it is likely a close precursor.

“The Moroccan fossils likely represent an advanced form of homo erectus in North Africa, situated on a lineage close to the evolutionary divergence between African and Eurasian lineages,” stated the researchers.

“Our findings underscore the Maghreb region as vital for understanding the emergence of our species and strengthen the argument for an African origin of homo sapiens,” they concluded.

Findings are detailed in a recent study published in Nature.

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J.J. Havlin and colleagues. Early human fossils from Morocco and the emergence of homo sapiens. Nature, published online January 7, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09914-y

Source: www.sci.news

New Evidence Suggests Early Use of Bows and Arrows by Homo Sapiens in Europe for Hunting

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In a newly published paper in this month’s iScience, researchers from the University of Tübingen and their collaborators present an interdisciplinary study of ancient stone and bone projectile points associated with Homo sapiens from the Lower Paleolithic era (40,000 to 35,000 years ago). This comprehensive research uses a blend of experimental ballistics, detailed measurements, and use-wear analysis, revealing that some of these prehistoric artifacts correspond not just to hand-thrown spears and javelin darts but also potentially to bow-propelled arrows.

Evidence suggests early humans may have used bows, arrows, and spear throwers in the Upper Paleolithic period. Image credit: sjs.org / CC BY-SA 3.0.

For decades, it was commonly believed that weapon technology evolved linearly, transitioning from hand-held spears to spear-throwing and eventually to bows and arrows.

However, lead researcher Keiko Kitagawa and her team at the University of Tübingen challenge this notion, arguing for a more complex evolution of weapon technology.

“Direct evidence of hunting weapons is rarely identified in the archaeological record,” they noted.

“Prehistoric hunting weapons encompassed a range from hand-held thrusting spears ideal for close-range hunting, to javelins and bow-headed arrows suitable for medium to long-range engagements.”

“The earliest known instances of such tools include wooden spears and throwing sticks, dating back 337,000 to 300,000 years in Europe.”

“Spear-throwing hooks first appeared during the Upper Solutrean period (around 24,500 to 21,000 years ago), gaining prominence in the Magdalenian culture of southwestern France (approximately 21,000 years ago), with nearly 100 specimens documented.”

Bows and arrows, however, have only surfaced from well-preserved sites like Mannheim-Vogelstang and Stermol in Germany, dated to about 12,000 years, and Lilla Roschulz-Mosse in Sweden, approximately 8,500 years, indicating they are significantly younger than other projectile technology.

Comparison of archaeological specimens from the Aurignac site with experimental examples from Vogelherd, Istritz, and Manot. Image credit: Kitagawa et al., doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114270.

The authors propose that early modern humans may have concurrently experimented with various projectile technologies, adapting to diverse ecosystems and prey types.

The analysis reveals that the damage patterns on these ancient projectile points corresponded with what is expected from arrows shot from bows, as well as from spears and darts.

“We emphasize Upper Paleolithic bony projectiles, including split bases and megabases made from antler and bone, predominantly discovered in Aurignacian environments in Europe and the Levant, between 40,000 and 33,000 years ago,” the researchers explained.

“Our goal is to determine if the wear patterns and morphometry can identify the types of weapons associated with Aurignacian bone projectile tips.”

This discovery aligns with previous archaeological findings indicating that bows and arrows were utilized in Africa as far back as 54,000 years ago, predating earlier estimates and some of Europe’s archaeological record.

Importantly, the researchers do not assert that Homo sapiens invented the bow simultaneously across all regions, nor do they claim the bow was the only weapon used.

Instead, their findings suggest a rich technological diversity during the initial phases of human migration into new territories.

“Our study highlights the intricate nature of reconstructing launch technologies, which are often made from perishable materials,” the researchers stated.

“While it is impossible to account for all variables affecting the properties of the armature and resulting wear, we aspire to implement future experimental programs aimed at deepening our understanding of the projectiles that form a crucial component of hunter-gatherer economies.”

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Keiko Kitagawa et al. suggest that Homo sapiens may have utilized bows and arrows for hunting as early as the Upper Paleolithic period in Eurasia. iScience published online on December 18, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114270

Source: www.sci.news

Hybrid Skull May Belong to Child of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens

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Homo sapiens parents” data-credit=”Israel Hershkovitz”/>

A skull of a young girl believed to be a descendant of Neanderthal Homo sapiens parents

Israel Hershkovitz

Skulls uncovered in Israel, dating back 140,000 years, likely belonged to hybrid children of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Anthropological analysis indicates that the ancient remains of a 5-year-old girl were found in one of the earliest known cemeteries, reshaping our understanding of organized burial practices and the people who partook in them.

The skull was initially unearthed in 1929 from Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel. This excavation ultimately revealed seven adults and three children, totaling 16 bones attributed to early humans classified as Homo sapiens.

However, the classification of the child’s skull has been disputed for nearly a century. It was originally thought to belong to a migrating lineage known as Paleoanthropus palestinensis, but later studies have suggested it is more likely a Homo sapiens specimen.

Anne Dambricourt Marasse, from the French Institute of Human Paleontology, is undertaking CT scans of the skull to compare it with other known Neanderthal juvenile remains.

“This study likely marks the first scientific assessment of Skhul’s child remains,” mentions John Hawks from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was not part of the research. “Previous efforts linked to antiquated reconstructions in plaster failed to comprehend the biology of this child in relation to similar specimens from a broader comparative framework.”

Malasse and her team found that the lower jaw presented notable Neanderthal traits, while the remainder of the skull was structurally aligned with Homo sapiens. They conclude that this blend of features suggests the child was of mixed ancestry.

“For a long time, I’ve questioned the viability of hybridization, suspecting that most cases resulted in miscarriages,” states Malasse. “The skeletal evidence indicates that this little girl, despite her youth at just five years, represents a different story.”

The new findings significantly enhance our understanding of the significant Skhul Child Skull, yet firmly identifying the child as a hybrid without recovering DNA is challenging, a task researchers have yet to achieve. “Human populations demonstrate substantial variability in appearance and physical form without interbreeding with ancient species like Neanderthals,” adds Malasse.

From research into both ancient and modern genomes, we know Homo sapiens and Neanderthals interchanged genes multiple times over the last 200,000 years. In 2018, bone fragments identified as Neanderthal and Denisovan hybrids, another ancient hominin species, were discovered in Russia, utilizing DNA analysis.

The Levant region emerges as a particularly significant area for human species intermingling due to its geographical positioning between Africa, Asia, and Europe. Some have termed it a “central bus stop” for Pleistocene humans, clarifies Dany Coutinho Nogueria at the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

Recent studies compel us to reevaluate our understanding of early burial practices among Homo sapiens, according to Malasse. Such ritualistic behaviors may have originated from Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, or resulted from interactions between the two.

“I cannot ascertain who performed the burial of this child, or whether the chosen burial ground belonged to a single community or one from another lineage that had established connections, shared rituals, and emotions,” reflects Malasse.

Topics:

  • Neanderthals/
  • Ancient humans

Source: www.newscientist.com

Research shows that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals had 200,000 years of interaction

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A recent study indicates that multiple instances of gene flow occurring between 250,000 and 200,000 years ago impacted the genomes and biology of both modern humans and Neanderthals, who are believed to share 2.5 to 3.7 percent of human ancestry.

Li othersIt provides insight into the history of modern-human Neanderthal admixture, shows that gene flow has significantly influenced patterns of genomic variation in modern and Neanderthals, and suggests that taking into account human-derived sequences in Neanderthals allows for more precise inferences about admixture and its consequences in both Neanderthals and modern humans. Image courtesy of the Neanderthal Museum.

“For the first time, geneticists have identified multiple instances of interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals,” stated Professor Li Ming from Southeast University.

“It is now evident that throughout most of human history, there was interaction between modern humans and Neanderthals,” added Professor Joshua Akey from Princeton University.

“Our direct ancestors, hominins, diverged from the Neanderthal lineage approximately 600,000 years ago and acquired modern physical characteristics around 250,000 years ago.”

“Subsequently, modern humans continued to engage with Neanderthals for around 200,000 years until the extinction of Neanderthals.”

The researchers utilized the genomes of 2,000 modern humans, three Neanderthals, and one Denisovan to track gene flow between human populations over the past 250,000 years.

They employed a genetic tool called IBDmix, developed several years ago, which utilizes machine learning techniques for sequencing genomes.

Previously, scientists relied on comparing the human genome to reference populations of modern individuals with minimal or no Neanderthal or Denisovan DNA.

The study authors discovered traces of Neanderthal DNA even in populations residing thousands of miles south of Neanderthal caves, suggesting that the DNA might have been transmitted southward by travelers or their descendants.

Using IBDmix, they identified a first contact wave around 200,000-250,000 years ago, a second contact wave around 100,000-120,000 years ago, and a peak contact wave around 50,000-60,000 years ago, deviating from previous genetic data.

“Most genetic data indicates that modern humans originated in Africa 250,000 years ago, persisted there for another 200,000 years, and only around 50,000 years ago dispersed from Africa to populate other regions as humans,” said Prof Akey.

“Our model suggests that there wasn’t a prolonged period of stasis, but soon after the emergence of modern humans, we migrated out of Africa and eventually returned.”

“To me, the narrative revolves around dispersal, highlighting that modern humans have been more mobile than previously assumed, encountering Neanderthals and Denisovans,” added Prof Akey.

This portrayal of migrating humans aligns with archaeological and paleoanthropological evidence indicating cultural and tool exchanges among human populations.

A crucial insight was to search for modern human DNA in the Neanderthal genome, rather than vice versa.

“While much genetic research in the past decade focused on how interbreeding with Neanderthals influenced the evolution and phenotype of modern humans, these questions also hold importance and interest in the opposite direction,” noted Professor Akey.

They realized that the descendants of the initial interbreeding event between Neanderthals and modern humans likely stayed with the Neanderthals and thus left no genetic trace in modern humans.

“By incorporating Neanderthal elements into genetic studies, we can analyze these early migrations in a new light,” Prof Akey mentioned.

The final revelation was that the Neanderthal population was smaller than previously estimated.

Traditional genetic modeling used diversity as an indicator of population size: greater genetic diversity implied a larger population.

However, using IBDmix, the team showed that most diversity came from DNA sequences originating from a larger modern human population, leading to a reduction in the effective Neanderthal population from around 3,400 breeding individuals to approximately 2,400.

Collectively, these new findings provide insights into the disappearance of Neanderthals from the record roughly 30,000 years ago.

“I prefer not to use the term ‘extinction’ because I believe Neanderthals were mostly assimilated,” mentioned Prof Akey.

It is theorized that the Neanderthal population gradually dwindled, with the last survivors merging into modern human communities.

“The assimilation model was first proposed in 1989 by anthropologist Fred Smith from Illinois State University, and our results offer compelling genetic evidence supporting Fred’s hypothesis,” Prof Akey stated.

“Neanderthals likely faced prolonged near-extinction.”

“Our estimates suggest that even a slight decrease of 10 to 20 percent in the population size would have a significant impact on an already vulnerable population,” Prof Akey added.

“Modern humans can be likened to waves gradually eroding the shoreline, eventually overwhelming Neanderthals demographically and integrating them into the modern human population.”

Read the full research findings published in the journal Science.

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Li-Ming Lee others2024. Recurrent gene flow between Neanderthals and modern humans over the past 200,000 years. Science 385(6705); doi:10.1126/science.adi1768

Source: www.sci.news

Homo sapiens are believed to have reached Northern Europe around 45,000 years ago, according to scientists.

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homo sapiens is connected with Rinkombi Lanisia Yersmanovician Culture According to three papers published in , Neanderthals existed in central and northwestern Europe long before they became extinct in southwestern Europe. journal Nature And that journal natural ecology and evolution. The evidence is homo sapiens And the fact that Neanderthals lived side by side is consistent with genomic evidence that the two species occasionally interbred. Suspicions have also been raised that modern humans' invasion of Europe and Asia about 50,000 years ago may have driven Neanderthals to extinction.

Stratigraphy including location of homo sapiens Bones, a map of the LRJ site, and stone tools from the Ranis site in Germany. Image credit: Mylopotamitaki other., doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06923-7.

The Paleolithic Rincombi-Lanisia-Jerzmanovician (LRJ) culture or technocomplex spread across northwestern and central Europe.

The Ranis Cave site in the Orla River Valley, Thuringia, Germany, is one of the eponymous LRJ sites based on its unique configuration of bifacial and monofacial points.

Previous dating had shown that the site was more than 40,000 years old, but there were no recognizable bones to show who made the tools, so it was unclear whether they were the product of Neanderthals. It was unclear whether it was a product of Neanderthals or not. homo sapiens.

“The new discovery is homo sapiens Who created this technology homo sapiens At this time, 45,000 years ago, they were this far north,” said Dr. Elena Zavala, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

“So these are some of the earliest.” homo sapiens In Europe. “

“The cave ruins of Ranis provide evidence of initial dispersal. homo sapiens It is widespread throughout the high latitudes of Europe,” said Professor Jean-Jacques Hubelin, a researcher at the Collège de France.

“It turns out that stone structures thought to have been made by Neanderthals were actually part of early Neanderthals.” homo sapiens toolkit. ”

“This fundamentally changes what we know about this period. homo sapiens Long before Neanderthals disappeared in southwestern Europe, they reached northwestern Europe. ”

Scientists carried out genetic analysis of hominid bone fragments from new deep excavations carried out at Ranis between 2016 and 2022, as well as from earlier excavations in the 1930s.

Because the DNA in ancient bones is highly fragmented, she used special techniques to isolate and sequence the DNA. All of it is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is inherited only from the mother.

“We have confirmed that the bone fragments are: homo sapiens. Interestingly, some of the fragments shared the same mitochondrial DNA sequence, even if they were from different excavations,” Dr. Zavala said.

“This indicates that these fragments belong to the same person or his maternal relatives, and connects these new discoveries with discoveries from decades ago.”

The bone fragments were initially identified as human through analysis of bone proteins in a field called paleoproteomics.

The authors found that by comparing the Ranis mtDNA sequences with mtDNA obtained from human remains from other Paleolithic sites in Europe, they were able to construct an early Stone Age family tree. It's done. homo sapiens All over Europe.

All but one of the 13 Ranis fragments are very similar to each other and, surprisingly, to the mtDNA of a 43,000-year-old female skull discovered in the Zlaty Kush cave in the Czech Republic. Ta. The only standout player was in the same group as a player from Italy.

“That raises some questions: Was this a single population? What is the relationship here?” Dr. Zavala said.

“But when it comes to mtDNA, that's just one side of history. It's just the maternal side. We need nuclear DNA to investigate this.”

The researchers also found that Ranis Cave is primarily used by hibernating cave bears and denning hyenas, with only periodic human presence.

This low-density archaeological footprint is consistent with other LRJ sites and is best explained by short-term, opportunistic visits by small, mobile settler groups. homo sapiens.

“This means that even in these early groups, homo sapiens “Humans, dispersed across Eurasia, already had some ability to adapt to such harsh climatic conditions,” said Dr Sara Pederzani, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of La Laguna.

“Until recently, it was thought that resilience to cold climate conditions would not emerge until several thousand years later. So this is a fascinating and surprising result.”

The research team also carried out radiocarbon dating of human and animal bones taken from different layers of the site to reconstruct the site's age, focusing on bones with signs of human modification on their surfaces. They then correlated the age with the presence of humans in the cave.

“we, homo sapiens The Francis Crick Institute said Dr. Helen Furus, a postdoctoral researcher at .

“The evidence suggests that homo sapiens They occupied this site sporadically for 47,500 years. ”

Source: www.sci.news