New Clues to How Neanderthal Genes Affect Your Health
A genome from a female found in Croatia shows how conditions from schizophrenia to arthritis are influenced by our ancient human cousins.
If your arthritis is bad today or you’re slathering on aloe for an early autumn sunburn, Neanderthals may be partly to blame.
Scientists announced today the second complete, high-quality sequencing of a Neanderthal genome, made using the 52,000-year-old bones of a female found in the Vindija cave in Croatia.
Together with the genomes from another Neanderthal woman and a host of modern humans, a suite of analyses is yielding new clues about how DNA from Neanderthals contributed to our genetic makeup and might still be affecting us today.
For instance, one new study appearing in the journal Science suggests that Neanderthal genes contribute 1.8 to 2.6 percent of the total genetic makeup
