Five ancient human species that lived alongside modern humans revealed: New insights into our prehistoric cousins

Economic Times

6 days ago

The five ancient human cousins
Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis)
Denisovans (Homo sp. Denisova)
Homo naledi
Homo floresiensis
Live Events
Homo erectus
A shared evolutionary tapestry
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
In a remarkable revelation that reshapes our understanding of human evolution , scientific research confirms that Homo sapiens—modern humans—were not alone for much of their early history. Between approximately 300,000 and 40,000 years ago, several closely related ancient human species lived alongside us, interacted with us, and in some cases interbred with our ancestors. Far from being the solitary pinnacle of evolution, Homo sapiens shared the planet with a diverse cast of human relatives whose legacy lingers in our DNA and in our story.Perhaps the best-known and closest extinct relatives of modern humans, Neanderthals first appeared about 400,000 years ago. Unlike the outdated stereotype of brutish cavemen, they were highly intelligent, sporting brains on average larger than modern humans. Adapted to cold Eurasian climates, they had stocky bodies, large noses to warm inhaled air, and used sophisticated tools, clothing, and fire.Genetic studies reveal that 1–2% of DNA in Europeans and Asians today originated from Neanderthals, influencing aspects such as immune system function. Their extinction roughly 40,000 years ago did not end their contribution to our genetic makeup.Discovered only in 2008 from a tiny finger bone in Siberia's Denisova Cave, Denisovans remain one of the most mysterious human cousins. DNA sequencing shows they diverged from Neanderthals about 550,000 to 765,000 years ago and lived from roughly 300,000 to 25,000–30,000 years ago in parts of Asia. Genetic evidence indicates adaptations such as dark skin, eyes, and hair, with physical traits somewhat reminiscent of Neanderthals.Remarkably, one genome from a bone fragment revealed a first-generation hybrid with a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan father. Fossil and genetic evidence suggest they inhabited a wide ecological range—from Siberia's cold caves to Southeast Asia's tropical forests—illustrating a previously hidden human diversity.Found in South Africa in 2013, Homo naledi is an enigmatic species. With a small brain size of around 465–560 cm³, comparable to earlier ancestors like Australopithecus, yet living contemporaneously with Homo sapiens roughly 335,000 to 236,000 years ago, Homo naledi defies simple evolutionary assumptions. Standing about 1.44 meters tall, they had long fingers and an anatomy suggesting strong climbing ability. Their diet likely consisted of nuts, tubers, and other plant matter, pointing to a different ecological niche from early modern humans.Though they left no known genetic trace in modern populations, their coexistence with Homo sapiens underscores the complex diversity of human morphology and behavior during the late Pleistocene.Nicknamed "Hobbits" due to their small stature, Homo floresiensis was discovered in 2003 on Indonesia's Flores island. These tiny humans stood only about 1.1 meters tall and had brains around 400 cm³ in size. Despite these archaic features, their use of stone tools and ability to hunt dwarf elephants point to a sophisticated species. They are believed to have descended from Homo erectus populations that underwent island dwarfism.Homo floresiensis likely survived until around 60,000 to 38,000 years ago, potentially overlapping with Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia. Some anthropologists speculate their presence might have inspired local myths such as the Ebu Gogo—small forest-dwelling people from Flores folklore.One of the longest-surviving human species, Homo erectus appeared about 1.9 million years ago and was the first human species known to leave Africa and colonize large areas of Europe and Asia. They showed significant evolutionary advances, including fully upright posture, use of fire, and persistence hunting—chasing prey until it collapsed from exhaustion.Their brain size and body shape were more human-like than earlier hominins, and they are considered direct ancestors of later human species, including Homo heidelbergensis, which is thought to be a common ancestor of Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens. Fossil evidence suggests H. erectus survived in parts of Asia until about 140,000 years ago.These findings highlight that humans did not evolve in isolation but rather as part of a broad family of ancient human groups exhibiting rich biological and ecological diversity. Our direct ancestors interbred with some of these species, notably Neanderthals and Denisovans, weaving their genes into ours and inheriting traits that helped us adapt to new environments.