Pacific islanders got a double dose of Stone Age DNA
Melanesians are the only people known to have DNA from two ancient human ‘cousins’
Bruce Bower
Apr 8, 2016 — 7:00 am EST
Unlike people in the rest of world, some modern-day Pacific Islanders have inherited genes from two different groups of Stone Age relatives. That’s the conclusion of new research. And the ancient DNA they carry still affects their health and well-being — in a good way.
Melanesians live in a group of islands northeast of Papua New Guinea. Their ancestors mated with Neandertals, the new data show. They also mated with mysterious Neandertal relatives, known as Denisovans.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/pacific-islanders-got-double-dose-stone-age-dna
