Lara Loretz is the author of a new book about Neanderthal DNA. She says that this study has brought up to 30 individuals with Neanderthal genes. This could help us learn more about our own species, she says.
In this episode:
00:54 Siberian cave offers first-ever glimpse into Neanderthal family
By analysing ancient DNA recovered from bone fragments found in two Siberian caves, researchers have identified a set of closely related Neanderthals: a father and daughter, as well as several other more-distant relatives. The work suggests that Neanderthal communities were small, and that females may have left their families to join other groups.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, assessing why women are cited less often than men in physics, and uncovering a long-lost star-map from ancient Greece.