Story perspectives

DNA from 27 Neanderthals Reveals Distinct Low-Diversity Population

6/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Alba Bossoms Mesa sequenced DNA from 27 Neanderthal remains in Belgium and France, defining a distinct population.
The study recovered genomes of 11 individuals, including a ~45,000-year-old woman from Goyet Cave, showing no modern human input and lower diversity than today’s humans.
Chris Stringer notes the Neanderthals were closer to each other than to Croatian and Russian groups, diverged ~54,000 years ago, and their DNA survives in modern humans.

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Story summary

Alba Bossoms Mesa sequenced DNA from 27 Neanderthal remains in Belgium and France, defining a distinct population.
The study recovered genomes of 11 individuals, including a ~45,000-year-old woman from Goyet Cave, showing no modern human input and lower diversity than today’s humans.
Chris Stringer notes the Neanderthals were closer to each other than to Croatian and Russian groups, diverged ~54,000 years ago, and their DNA survives in modern humans.