Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Contact    |    RSS icon Twitter icon Facebook icon  
Unexplained Mysteries
You are viewing: Home > News > Science & Technology > News story
Welcome Guest ( Login or Register )  
All ▾
Search Submit

Science & Technology

Melanesian DNA hints at mystery hominid

By T.K. Randall
November 27, 2016 · Comment icon 3 comments

Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA can be found in modern humans. Image Credit: Randii Oliver
Hints of an unknown species of human have been found in the DNA of the modern day Melanesian people.
When we delve in to our DNA it is possible to find evidence of our ancestors - genetic information that has been passed down from a time when other species of human walked the Earth.

Europeans, for instance, have distinct traces of Neanderthal DNA, while people from Asia possess DNA from the Denisovans - another human species that died out many thousands of years ago.

Scientists were left perplexed however when they found that the people native to Melanesia, a region in the Western Pacific, actually had an abnormally low percentage of Denisovan DNA.
This suggests that they could also have DNA from a third, unknown hominid species.

The discovery was detailed recently at a meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics by researchers affiliated with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas and the University of Utah.

Their work involved creating a model that was able to show the transfer of genes between various populations in Melanesia and thus highlight the potential 'missing link' in the hominid tree.

With the physical remains of our early ancestors being so difficult to find, it could be that the missing Melanesian DNA may be from a hominid species we simply haven't discovered yet.

Source: Phys.org | Comments (3)




Other news and articles
Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by davros of skaro 7 years ago
I'm not saying it was Vulcans, but it was Spock.
Comment icon #2 Posted by Athena1979 7 years ago
There was just a lot of hanky panky going on back then. "You human?" "No" "Ehhh...you'll do."  Let's get it on....OOHHH....Let's get it on...
Comment icon #3 Posted by paperdyer 7 years ago
Cylons?  Send a sample to Ancestry.com and see what they can do with it.


Please Login or Register to post a comment.


Our new book is out now!
Book cover

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

 AVAILABLE NOW 

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!
Patreon logo

Support us on Patreon

 BONUS CONTENT 

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

Recent news and articles