The first sex between different species of human ancestors occurred 700 thousand years ago
New information about the human genome is provided by research data from Alan Rogers, published by him in the journal Science Advances. The scientist analyzed the DNA of Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens and concluded that the genome of modern humans came from many species. This information was obtained as a result of sequencing the genome of Neanderthals in 2010, which allowed us to determine the crossing of Neanderthals with Homo sapiens about 50 thousand years ago. More detailed research by Alan Rogers two years ago confirmed that modern humans received some of the genes from Denisovans who lived about 40-60 thousand years ago.
At the same time, interspecies interbreeding occurred earlier, when the so-called «Neanderthes», more than 750000 years ago, as a result of crossing with another species, formed a population of «super-archaic» people. This subspecies was localized within Eurasia, and its number reached 50,000 individuals.
The migration of ancient people from Africa took place in Eurasia three times in the history of evolution:
1. About 2 million years ago, it was carried out by «super-archaic» people in order to develop new territories and search for new habitats with favorable climatic conditions;
2. The movement of «Neanderthes» took place in a northerly direction about 720000 years ago, while other unknown species were already living in the new territory, with which interspecies interbreeding took place. At the same time, «Neanderthes» placed themselves separately from Homo sapiens and divided into species groups of Denisovans and Neanderthals.
3. The third wave of migration took place 50,000 years ago, with the migration of modern humans from Africa, and they began to actively settle within Eurasia, already mixing with Neanderthals and Denisovans.
As a result of careful analysis of the available genetic material, the DNA of ancient species and Homo sapiens, the team of Alan Rogers discovered interesting facts. We have obtained information about four tipping points in the formation of the genome during the transfer of genetic material over the past million years from one species to another. Three main points date back to the time frame of the last three waves of migration, and the discovery of the fourth was an unexpected surprise for scientists.
Alan Rogers authoritatively states that there was interspecific interbreeding as a result of mixing two different populations that were too far related to each other, compared to three other types of crossbreeding. At the same time, completely different progenitors of the human race intersected.
There are various assumptions about what kind of «super-archaic» people were. At the time of their separation into an independent group more than 2 million years ago, there were two groups of people. The first was Homo erectus, which had the ability to move vertically, and the second was Homo antecessor, which occupied part of what is now Spain. Rogers notes that «super-archaic» may have been related to any species group, since the relationship between them is still not clear. Despite the mystery of the origin of this species group of people, research allows us to discover new connections between species thanks to genetically confirmed information about interspecific interbreeding.