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Researchers analyzed ancient genes to pinpoint the time period, which is slightly more recent than previous estimates for the mating, the AP reported. Modern humans emerged in Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago and eventually spread to Europe, Asia and beyond. Somewhere along the way, they met and mated with Neanderthals, leaving a lasting fingerprint on our genetic code.
Scientists don’t know exactly when or how the two groups entangled. But ancient bone fragments and genes are helping scientists figure that out. To pin down the timeline, researchers peeked at some of the oldest human genes from the skull of a woman in the Czech Republic where it was found.
They also examined bone fragments from an early human population in Ranis, Germany, about 230 kilometers away. They found snippets of Neanderthal DNA that placed the mating at around 45,000 years ago. In a separate study, researchers tracked signs of Neanderthal in our genetic code over 50,000 years.
They found Neanderthal genes related to immunity and metabolism that may have helped early humans survive and thrive outside of Africa..
