Professor Chris Stringer

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.

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.

And I know we haven't talked about Denisovans yet, but they were a lineage that we know about living over in the Far East. So there are actually these three major lineages evolving us in Africa for most of the last half a million years. Neanderthals in Eurasia, mainly the western part in the last half a million years.

And I know we haven't talked about Denisovans yet, but they were a lineage that we know about living over in the Far East. So there are actually these three major lineages evolving us in Africa for most of the last half a million years. Neanderthals in Eurasia, mainly the western part in the last half a million years.

And I know we haven't talked about Denisovans yet, but they were a lineage that we know about living over in the Far East. So there are actually these three major lineages evolving us in Africa for most of the last half a million years. Neanderthals in Eurasia, mainly the western part in the last half a million years.

And over in the Far East, Denisovans also evolving in that time period over the last half a million years.

And over in the Far East, Denisovans also evolving in that time period over the last half a million years.

And over in the Far East, Denisovans also evolving in that time period over the last half a million years.

Yes, it's certainly possible. So the Neanderthals reached right down in southern Israel. So they're only a few hundred kilometers from Cairo there. So, of course, these populations wouldn't have known Africa was separate from Western Asia. For them, it was just a landscape that they might have traversed. maybe following their food, you know, migrating herds and so on.

Yes, it's certainly possible. So the Neanderthals reached right down in southern Israel. So they're only a few hundred kilometers from Cairo there. So, of course, these populations wouldn't have known Africa was separate from Western Asia. For them, it was just a landscape that they might have traversed. maybe following their food, you know, migrating herds and so on.

Yes, it's certainly possible. So the Neanderthals reached right down in southern Israel. So they're only a few hundred kilometers from Cairo there. So, of course, these populations wouldn't have known Africa was separate from Western Asia. For them, it was just a landscape that they might have traversed. maybe following their food, you know, migrating herds and so on.

So certainly it's not impossible that just as sapiens came out of Africa several times, it's possible Neanderthals even came into Africa at times. And we can't map that at the moment. And then there are areas like Arabia. So you've got the huge area of the Arabian Peninsula, a massive area. We know that sapiens were there about 95,000 years ago from just a single hand bone fossil.

So certainly it's not impossible that just as sapiens came out of Africa several times, it's possible Neanderthals even came into Africa at times. And we can't map that at the moment. And then there are areas like Arabia. So you've got the huge area of the Arabian Peninsula, a massive area. We know that sapiens were there about 95,000 years ago from just a single hand bone fossil.

So certainly it's not impossible that just as sapiens came out of Africa several times, it's possible Neanderthals even came into Africa at times. And we can't map that at the moment. And then there are areas like Arabia. So you've got the huge area of the Arabian Peninsula, a massive area. We know that sapiens were there about 95,000 years ago from just a single hand bone fossil.

But Neanderthals were probably there as well some of the same time. So that's a whole area again where we We have a lot to learn about when populations are in those regions.

But Neanderthals were probably there as well some of the same time. So that's a whole area again where we We have a lot to learn about when populations are in those regions.

But Neanderthals were probably there as well some of the same time. So that's a whole area again where we We have a lot to learn about when populations are in those regions.

Yeah, so looking at the whole body skeleton, the Neanderthals were, by and large, were shorter and wider, very wide shoulders, very wide pelvis. They've got a big, almost bell-shaped rib cage. So it's a rib cage that's differently shaped to our own. There's a suggestion that all the organs of the trunk of the Neanderthals were bigger. So the lungs might have been 20% bigger than our lungs.

Yeah, so looking at the whole body skeleton, the Neanderthals were, by and large, were shorter and wider, very wide shoulders, very wide pelvis. They've got a big, almost bell-shaped rib cage. So it's a rib cage that's differently shaped to our own. There's a suggestion that all the organs of the trunk of the Neanderthals were bigger. So the lungs might have been 20% bigger than our lungs.

Yeah, so looking at the whole body skeleton, the Neanderthals were, by and large, were shorter and wider, very wide shoulders, very wide pelvis. They've got a big, almost bell-shaped rib cage. So it's a rib cage that's differently shaped to our own. There's a suggestion that all the organs of the trunk of the Neanderthals were bigger. So the lungs might have been 20% bigger than our lungs.