Genetic Insights
Recent studies reveal modern humans descend from at least two ancestral populations that diverged around 1.5 million years ago and reconvened approximately 300,000 years ago, contributing 80% and 20% to our genetic makeup respectively.
This genetic blending, particularly from the smaller population, may have played a crucial role in human evolution, especially in brain function and neural processing.
Methodological Advances
Researchers used a computational algorithm called cobraa, analyzing modern human DNA from the 1000 Genomes Project, to model ancient human population dynamics.
This approach allowed for the identification of ancestral populations and their genetic contributions without relying on ancient remains, offering a more comprehensive understanding of human ancestry.