When Homo sapiens trekked out of Africa, our species encountered Neanderthal populations already inhabiting the vast expanses of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As the presence of Neanderthal DNA in ...

When the two species got together tens of thousands of years ago, the hookups may have often involved a male Neanderthal and a female human, according to a new study. The findings, described February ...

DNA evidence suggests homo sapiens women more often paired with Neanderthal men, helping explain why Neanderthal genes are rare.

A study shows that interbreeding between the two species occurred primarily in one direction, and the origin of this bias is ...

When ancient humans interbred, new research shows that the pairings were predominantly male Neanderthals and female Homo ...

Most people of non-African ancestry carry about 2% Neanderthal DNA, and researchers report a mirror image pattern with more human DNA on the Neanderthal X chromosome.

A 2026 study finds sex-biased interbreeding, not genetic incompatibility, likely explains why Neanderthal DNA is scarce on the human X chromosome.

New research is providing insight into the prehistoric pairings that led to the presence of Neanderthal DNA in most present-day people.

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...

Most people with non-African ancestry carry roughly 1–4% Neanderthal ancestry spread across their genomes, a legacy of contact after modern humans expanded into Eurasia. But the X chromosome, one of ...

Engraved lines and dots found on the soft chalk walls of La Roche-Cotard cave in France were analyzed with mapping and 3D ...

When ​Homo sapiens trekked out of Africa, our species encountered Neanderthal populations already inhabiting the vast ...