Recent discoveries of Neanderthal remains in a cave in France lend support to a well-established theory regarding their extinction, as stated by researchers involved in a new study.
Over the years, various explanations have been proposed regarding the survival of modern humans compared to the extinction of Neanderthals approximately 40,000 years ago.
A recent investigation by the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen backs one of the leading theories. The researchers unearthed the remains of a male Neanderthal in a southern French cave, reinforcing the idea that the extinction of Neanderthals may be attributed to their antisocial behavior.
“When we examine the genomes of Neanderthals, we notice a high degree of inbreeding and consequently low genetic diversity. They have been residing in isolated groups for many generations. Inbreeding can diminish genetic diversity in a population, which poses challenges for survival in the long run,” explained Associate Professor Martin Sikora from the Globe Institute, who is part of this study. He further remarked:
“The genome we discovered derives from a different lineage compared to other late Neanderthals previously analyzed. This suggests that the social structure of Neanderthals differed from that of early modern humans, who appeared to have stronger connections with one another.”
In simpler terms, early modern humans were more likely to interact with various groups, which could have given them a survival edge when compared to Neanderthals.
“This idea is somewhat speculative, yet even the fundamental ability to communicate and share knowledge is a trait that modern humans possessed, which Neanderthals may not have fully developed due to their tendency to live in smaller, secluded groups. This social ability is crucial for survival. Early modern humans in Siberia, for instance, formed mating networks to counteract inbreeding while still living in compact communities, a strategy we have not observed among Neanderthals,” stated Postdoc Tharsika Vimala.
DNA Unveils Neanderthal History
Despite the significant number of Neanderthal remains found across Eurasia, researchers have encountered relatively little Neanderthal DNA. Some of the oldest known Neanderthal DNA, which dates back to about 120,000 years ago, has been extracted from remains in the Denisova Cave (Altai Mountains), as well as caves in Scladina (Belgium) and Hohlenstein-Stadel (Germany). Notably, the “new” genome from the recent discovery is merely the fifth such genome identified in Western Europe, with an age of under 50,000 years.
“Our team in Copenhagen extracted DNA from his tooth, sequenced it, and examined his nuclear genome, the DNA located within the cell nucleus. We analyzed this DNA alongside other known Neanderthal genomes to gain insights into their shared history,” mentioned Martin Sikora.
The researchers also revisited the genome of another late Neanderthal from France and discovered that this individual also possessed ancestry from a separate Neanderthal lineage, distinct from the ‘new’ genome. This suggests that multiple isolated groups may have existed in Western Europe prior to their extinction.
The researchers note that this theory is not entirely new and similarly applies to Neanderthals in the Altai Mountains, an area that naturally fostered isolation. Previously, however, genomic proof was lacking for Western European Neanderthals. Thus, this new finding presents a crucial piece in the broader narrative of Neanderthal history.
“This is a subject we have discussed for quite some time. However, we needed more concrete evidence, and this is one of the pieces we were searching for to assess the likelihood that their isolated way of life contributed to their extinction. Nonetheless, we require a greater amount of genomic data to fully comprehend their history,” commented Tharsika Vimala.
The findings from this study have been published in Cell Genomics.
