Interbreeding between archaic and modern humans
Interbreeding between archaic and modern humans occurred during the Middle Paleolithic and early Upper Paleolithic. The interbreeding happened in several independent events that included Neanderthals and Denisovans, as well as several unidentified hominins.[ 2]
In Europe, Asia and North Africa, interbreeding between Neanderthals and Denisovans with modern humans took place several times. The introgression events into modern humans are estimated to have happened about 47,000–65,000 years ago with Neanderthals and about 44,000–54,000 years ago with Denisovans.
Neanderthal-derived DNA has been found in the genomes of most or possibly all contemporary populations, varying noticeably by region. It accounts for 1–4% of modern genomes for people outside Sub-Saharan Africa, although estimates vary, and either none or up to 0.3% for those in Sub-Saharan Africa.[ 3] Cushitic and Semitic speaking populations from the Horn of Africa (such as Ethiopians), who derive a large portion of their ancestry from West Eurasians, have ~1% Neanderthal-derived DNA.[ 4]
Neanderthal-derived DNA is highest in East Asians, intermediate in Europeans, and lower in Southeast Asians.[ 5] According to some research, it is also lower in Melanesians and Polynesians compared to both East Asians and Europeans.[ 5] However, other research finds higher Neanderthal admixture in Melanesians, as well as in Native Americans, than in Europeans (though not higher than in East Asians).[ 6]
