Professor Chris Stringer

So within a particular Neanderthal site, in mitochondrial terms, which is the lineages inherited through mothers to their children, the mitochondria suggests that the males are closely related to each other, but the females are more diverse in mitochondria. So that must indicate there is movement of people, and in this case, the movement of women into particular Neanderthal groups.

So within a particular Neanderthal site, in mitochondrial terms, which is the lineages inherited through mothers to their children, the mitochondria suggests that the males are closely related to each other, but the females are more diverse in mitochondria. So that must indicate there is movement of people, and in this case, the movement of women into particular Neanderthal groups.

So within a particular Neanderthal site, in mitochondrial terms, which is the lineages inherited through mothers to their children, the mitochondria suggests that the males are closely related to each other, but the females are more diverse in mitochondria. So that must indicate there is movement of people, and in this case, the movement of women into particular Neanderthal groups.

That's right. Yes. So there are neontal sites where even from the mitochondrial DNA preserved in the cave sediments, as well as in the individual's DNA themselves, you can show this pattern of small diversity in the males of the neontals compared with large diversity in the females.

That's right. Yes. So there are neontal sites where even from the mitochondrial DNA preserved in the cave sediments, as well as in the individual's DNA themselves, you can show this pattern of small diversity in the males of the neontals compared with large diversity in the females.

That's right. Yes. So there are neontal sites where even from the mitochondrial DNA preserved in the cave sediments, as well as in the individual's DNA themselves, you can show this pattern of small diversity in the males of the neontals compared with large diversity in the females.

Well, yes. So that's an interesting question where, again, we're getting new data all the time. So there seems to be an early incursion of Homo sapiens into Neanderthal areas even more than 200,000 years ago. Oh, wow. So there's a site in southern Greece, Epidema Cave. It's actually a complex of caves stacked vertically in a sea cliff.

Well, yes. So that's an interesting question where, again, we're getting new data all the time. So there seems to be an early incursion of Homo sapiens into Neanderthal areas even more than 200,000 years ago. Oh, wow. So there's a site in southern Greece, Epidema Cave. It's actually a complex of caves stacked vertically in a sea cliff.

Well, yes. So that's an interesting question where, again, we're getting new data all the time. So there seems to be an early incursion of Homo sapiens into Neanderthal areas even more than 200,000 years ago. Oh, wow. So there's a site in southern Greece, Epidema Cave. It's actually a complex of caves stacked vertically in a sea cliff.

in southern greece and in one of those caves they found two skulls very close to each other which for a long time were thought to be two neanderthal skulls maybe 150 000 years old but i've been involved in work which has shown that first of all the skulls are not the same age they seem to be brought together

in southern greece and in one of those caves they found two skulls very close to each other which for a long time were thought to be two neanderthal skulls maybe 150 000 years old but i've been involved in work which has shown that first of all the skulls are not the same age they seem to be brought together

in southern greece and in one of those caves they found two skulls very close to each other which for a long time were thought to be two neanderthal skulls maybe 150 000 years old but i've been involved in work which has shown that first of all the skulls are not the same age they seem to be brought together

through deposition in the cave, but they don't actually belong together because they're not the same age. And what's interesting is one of the skulls, it's only the back of a skull, looks like a Homo sapiens. So it doesn't show Neanderthal features in the back of the skull. It shows Homo sapiens features. And that fossil is at least 210,000 years old.

through deposition in the cave, but they don't actually belong together because they're not the same age. And what's interesting is one of the skulls, it's only the back of a skull, looks like a Homo sapiens. So it doesn't show Neanderthal features in the back of the skull. It shows Homo sapiens features. And that fossil is at least 210,000 years old.

through deposition in the cave, but they don't actually belong together because they're not the same age. And what's interesting is one of the skulls, it's only the back of a skull, looks like a Homo sapiens. So it doesn't show Neanderthal features in the back of the skull. It shows Homo sapiens features. And that fossil is at least 210,000 years old.

So incredibly, if that data are correct, there was a Homo sapiens living in southern Greece more than 200,000 years ago. And what's interesting is maybe 30 or 40,000 years later, you got a Neanderthal fossil at the site. So the sapiens seems to have disappeared and the Neanderthals are in occupation.

So incredibly, if that data are correct, there was a Homo sapiens living in southern Greece more than 200,000 years ago. And what's interesting is maybe 30 or 40,000 years later, you got a Neanderthal fossil at the site. So the sapiens seems to have disappeared and the Neanderthals are in occupation.

So incredibly, if that data are correct, there was a Homo sapiens living in southern Greece more than 200,000 years ago. And what's interesting is maybe 30 or 40,000 years later, you got a Neanderthal fossil at the site. So the sapiens seems to have disappeared and the Neanderthals are in occupation.

So this could be an early and you could call it unsuccessful dispersal of Homo sapiens from Africa through Western Asia as far as Greece. Perhaps it went even further. We don't know. But it was one which then disappeared and the Neanderthals come back.

So this could be an early and you could call it unsuccessful dispersal of Homo sapiens from Africa through Western Asia as far as Greece. Perhaps it went even further. We don't know. But it was one which then disappeared and the Neanderthals come back.