Tristan Hughes

But it feels fitting for today's topic on the first Arabians, but also the first Homo sapiens in the wider region as well, because you've just written a brand new book.

ancestors all about the history of the Levant as well.

With DNA and exploring the stories of these earliest people to these areas of the world, is it a really exciting time with new scientific developments and so on?

It's a huge challenge.

And is that in contrast to places a bit further north, like the Levant, where you have more human bones today?

You are a brilliant geneticist.

Can you explain to us a bit more of the process behind how you would try to extract ancient DNA from these remains?

And how can you then use that DNA to track prehistoric migrations of people that in some cases occur tens of thousands of years ago?

Yeah, it is such a fascinating scientific field.

And I must admit, I'm someone who doesn't have a big scientific background at all.

So I'm loving learning more about this.

If we go back to Arabia, and you've highlighted how it's more tricky learning more about the earliest people populating Arabia because of the temperatures.

I

What other methods do you have to use alongside ancient DNA?

Okay.

I know the evidence is more tentative, but I hope you don't mind if we go before 7,000 years ago right now with these earlier, I don't know if I want to say unsuccessful, but more temporary occupations of people in Arabia.

You mentioned that evidence from 130,000-120,000 years ago.

Do we have these brief moments which seems like there is human occupation in Arabia earlier on?

And this is also important to highlight because I know you also have done a lot of work on the Levant where there's the presence of Neanderthals and of early Homo sapiens together.

Do we not think that Neanderthals made it into Arabia?