00:00When you imagine the evolution of Homo Sapien, it's easy to imagine something like this,
00:07where our great ape ancestors turned into upright versions, eventually becoming Neanderthals,
00:12and then modern humans.
00:13However, our species was a spectrum for a long while, with Neanderthals and humans existing
00:18at the same time.
00:19However, new research suggests that not only did they exist together, but they did so for
00:23a long time, and they intermingled a lot, if you know what I mean.
00:27The researchers say that rather than a quick dying off of Neanderthals, where larger populations
00:32suddenly disappeared, they say that their numbers were much smaller than previously
00:35believed.
00:36With the researchers saying their numbers were likely 20% lower than previously thought,
00:40meaning Neanderthals were more likely interacting sexually with humans and mixing DNA.
00:45We have long known that the two groups intermingled, as we can still find traces of Neanderthal
00:49DNA in us today.
00:51This research highlights just how much the two groups mixed, with the DNA pool eventually
00:55flowing towards humans.
00:57However, their research found human DNA in Neanderthal remains as well, going back as
01:02far as 250,000 years ago.
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