Professor Chris Stringer

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.

But interesting, that presence of sapiens outside of Africa more than 200,000 years ago does square with genetic data that suggests that there was a rather mysterious interbreeding event between Homo sapiens, early Homo sapiens and early Neanderthals, maybe 300,000 years ago.

But interesting, that presence of sapiens outside of Africa more than 200,000 years ago does square with genetic data that suggests that there was a rather mysterious interbreeding event between Homo sapiens, early Homo sapiens and early Neanderthals, maybe 300,000 years ago.

But interesting, that presence of sapiens outside of Africa more than 200,000 years ago does square with genetic data that suggests that there was a rather mysterious interbreeding event between Homo sapiens, early Homo sapiens and early Neanderthals, maybe 300,000 years ago.

So that, again, would imply there was either Neanderthals got into Africa, but more likely sapiens came out into Neanderthal territories, did some interbreeding with them and actually affected their mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome diversity. They seem to pick up a sapiens like mitochondria and Y chromosome.

So that, again, would imply there was either Neanderthals got into Africa, but more likely sapiens came out into Neanderthal territories, did some interbreeding with them and actually affected their mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome diversity. They seem to pick up a sapiens like mitochondria and Y chromosome.

So that, again, would imply there was either Neanderthals got into Africa, but more likely sapiens came out into Neanderthal territories, did some interbreeding with them and actually affected their mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome diversity. They seem to pick up a sapiens like mitochondria and Y chromosome.

And that estimate suggests that maybe 5% DNA was exchanged between the groups maybe 300,000 years ago. So that's still a mysterious and poorly understood time. But that epidemia fossil from Greece is maybe a clue to the sort of movements, early movements out of Africa, which ultimately were not sustained by Homo sapiens.

And that estimate suggests that maybe 5% DNA was exchanged between the groups maybe 300,000 years ago. So that's still a mysterious and poorly understood time. But that epidemia fossil from Greece is maybe a clue to the sort of movements, early movements out of Africa, which ultimately were not sustained by Homo sapiens.

And that estimate suggests that maybe 5% DNA was exchanged between the groups maybe 300,000 years ago. So that's still a mysterious and poorly understood time. But that epidemia fossil from Greece is maybe a clue to the sort of movements, early movements out of Africa, which ultimately were not sustained by Homo sapiens.

Yes, the fact that we and the Neanderthals developed these distinctive anatomies suggests that the evolution was largely separate over hundreds of thousands of years, certainly at least half a million years on present thinking. We and the Neanderthals evolved separately, but Being separate doesn't mean being completely separate.

Yes, the fact that we and the Neanderthals developed these distinctive anatomies suggests that the evolution was largely separate over hundreds of thousands of years, certainly at least half a million years on present thinking. We and the Neanderthals evolved separately, but Being separate doesn't mean being completely separate.

Yes, the fact that we and the Neanderthals developed these distinctive anatomies suggests that the evolution was largely separate over hundreds of thousands of years, certainly at least half a million years on present thinking. We and the Neanderthals evolved separately, but Being separate doesn't mean being completely separate.

So within that separation and distinction of building up different characters, now and again, these groups met and exchanged DNA. And this is a pattern which we now know from modern species that are closely related. So when we look at birds and mammals, maybe 20% of these closely related species are doing a bit of interbreeding with each other.

So within that separation and distinction of building up different characters, now and again, these groups met and exchanged DNA. And this is a pattern which we now know from modern species that are closely related. So when we look at birds and mammals, maybe 20% of these closely related species are doing a bit of interbreeding with each other.

So within that separation and distinction of building up different characters, now and again, these groups met and exchanged DNA. And this is a pattern which we now know from modern species that are closely related. So when we look at birds and mammals, maybe 20% of these closely related species are doing a bit of interbreeding with each other.

And so it seems that this is a way for those species to actually improve their genetic diversity, because as they go their separate way, they take particular genetic pathways and they may lose diversity. So by interbreeding with your neighbouring species, you may pick up some diversity that you've lost and that could be useful for you. So it looks like species do this.

And so it seems that this is a way for those species to actually improve their genetic diversity, because as they go their separate way, they take particular genetic pathways and they may lose diversity. So by interbreeding with your neighbouring species, you may pick up some diversity that you've lost and that could be useful for you. So it looks like species do this.

And so it seems that this is a way for those species to actually improve their genetic diversity, because as they go their separate way, they take particular genetic pathways and they may lose diversity. So by interbreeding with your neighbouring species, you may pick up some diversity that you've lost and that could be useful for you. So it looks like species do this.

They largely closely related ones, at least for maybe a million years, maybe two million years. They may continue to be able to exchange DNA with their closely related species. And it looks like that's what happened, which certainly is what happened with us and Neanderthals. And also it happened with us and Denisovans and even Denisovans and Neanderthals were interbreeding with each other.