How much Neanderthal and Denisovan is in your DNA?

Discover your background by meeting your ancient ancestors from 50,000+ years ago

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What does it mean to have Neanderthal or
Denisovan DNA?

Neanderthal DNA

The legacy of the Neanderthals is of contemporary concern, as our species’ circadian rhythms, immune system, and perhaps even build, have been shaped by these ancient ancestors.

Denisovan DNA

While the Neanderthal ancestry discovered in modern humans was all the same, scientists found something different for Denisovans: different populations had mixed into modern humans, not a single group.

Neanderthal

In 1856, a fossil was discovered in the Neander valley of Germany. Neanderthals were not primitive sideshows, but part of our broader human story. They flourished for hundreds of thousands of years between the Atlantic ocean and Mongolia. The vast majority of humans in the world carry some Neanderthal heritage.

Denisovan

In 2010 whole genome of X-woman was published in Germany. This new lineage of humans was called Denisovans, named after Denisova cave in Siberia where it was discovered. Denisovan ancestry was finely distributed across eastern Eurasia, with 0.1 to 0.2% of this human population’s ancestry to be found in East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as in the indigenous peoples of the New World.

Your unique abilities
from Neanderthal and Denisovan

Superpowers

Which abilities could you have inherited from your distant relatives through DNA exchange?

Appearance

What did the Neanderthals and Denisovans look like and which features of your appearance could you have inherited from them?

Health

Understand the influences on your hereditary health and wellness from your ancient ancestors.

Geographical origin

Neanderthal Skull Gibraltar 1

A skull was found during the construction of fortifications. Forbes Quarry (Forbes Quarry), Gibraltar

Neanderthal Skull Engis 2

F.-S. Schmerling finds several human bones, including a severely fragmented skull of a 2-3-year-old child Anzhi Cave, Belgium

Human tooth

Croatian researcher K. Gorjanovic-Kramberger finds a human tooth in a cave. Krapina Cave, Croatia

Bones and skeleton

G.A. Bonch-Osmolovsky finds the bones of the limbs of an adult woman and the skeleton of an infant. Kiik-Koba Grotto, Crimea

Female skeleton

D. Garrod finds a female Neanderthal skeleton. Tabun Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel

Skeletal remains

Skeletal remains of nine Neanderthals – seven adults and two infants. Shanidar Cave, Iraq

Skeletal remains

A.P. Okladnikov finds skeletal remains of a child. Teshik-Tash Cave, Uzbekistan

Five teeth

Archaeologists V.T. Petrin and S.V. Markin find five teeth. Okladnikov Cave, Altai, Russia

Denisovan DNA (Yanskaya parking)

Fragments of Denisovan DNA were found in the genomes of Homo sapiens from the Yanskaya parking lot (Yakutia)

Denisova cave

Bone fragments of the Denisova hominin originate from the cave, including
artifacts dated to around 50,000 to 30,000 years ago.

Denisovan DNA (Salkhit)

Fragments of Denisovan DNA were found in the genomes of Homo sapiens from Salhit (Mongolia)

Denisovan DNA (Tianyuan)

Fragments of Denisovan DNA were found in the genomes of Homo sapiens from Tianyuan (China)

Xiahe mandible

Hominin fossil jaw (mandible) discovered in Baishiya Karst Cave, located on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

Neanderthals population

Denisovan population

The admixture

Findings

Skull

DNA (other)

Bones

Places of origin of Denisovans and Neanderthals, 50,000 years ago.

Female skeleton

D. Garrod finds a female Neanderthal skeleton. Tabun Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel

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