Human population nearly went extinct – with just 1,280 people left
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Neanderthals bred with humans 100,000 YEARS earlier than first thought, scientists say - as they discover skeleton of five-year-old crossbreed
Neanderthals bred with our human ancestors 100,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to a new study. Experts have discovered that a five–year–old child who lived 140,000 years ago had parents from both species. Their fossil – likely a female – was first unearthed 90 years ago in the Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel in what is now northern Israel. A team from Tel Aviv University and the French Centre for Scientific Research conducted a series of advanced tests on the remaining bones, including a CT scan of the skull. 'Genetic studies over the past decade have shown that these two groups exchanged genes,' said lead author Professor Israel Hershkovitz. 'Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, part of our genome—two to six per cent—is of Neanderthal origin. 'But these gene exchanges took place much later, between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago. Here, we are dealing with a human fossil that is 140,000 years old. 'In our study, we show that the child's skull, which in its overall shape resembles that of Homo sapiens—especially in the curvature of the skull vault—has an intracranial blood supply system, a lower jaw, and an inner ear structure typical of Neanderthals' The finding makes the remains the earliest human fossil in the world to display features of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, the team say. A recent study, also carried out by Professor Hershkovitz, showed that Neanderthals lived in what is modern–day Israel as far back as 400,000 years ago. The new findings suggest they encountered early humans that began leaving Africa around 200,000 years ago. This human–Neanderthal type, which researchers have called 'Nesher Ramla Homo' after the archaeological site where it was found – was the result of interbreeding between the two populations. The child is, so far, the earliest evidence of the social and biological ties between these two populations over thousands of years. The local Neanderthals eventually disappeared when they were absorbed into the Homo sapiens population, much like the later European Neanderthals. 'The fossil we studied is the earliest known physical evidence of mating between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens,' Professor Hershkovitz said. 'In 1998, a skeleton of a child was discovered in Portugal that showed traits of both of these human groups. But that skeleton, nicknamed the 'Lapedo Valley Child,' dates back 28,000 years ago—more than 100,000 years after the Skhul child.' Until now, anthropologists have attributed the fossils discovered in the Skhul Cave to an early group of Homo sapiens. 'The current study reveals that at least some of the fossils from the Skhul Cave are the result of continuous genetic infiltration from the local—and older—Neanderthal population into the Homo sapiens population,' Professor Hershkovitz added. The Daily Mail has previously spoken to scientists who explained that hybrid children would likely inherit traits from both of their parents. That means hybrids might have a Neanderthal's long arms and short legs with the smaller skull of a Homo sapiens. Likewise, some of the hybrid children may have had strong Neanderthal facial features but the upright posture and long legs of a modern human. In some cases, this hybridisation process could even lead to the formation of unusual, new traits, not found in either parent. Anne Dambricourt–Malassé, a paleoanthropologist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research and co–author of the study, said that this girl's skeleton tells us what hybrids might have looked like. She explained that the girl had 'a powerful neck, a little higher than Homo sapiens, her forehead was less bulging.' Scientists say that hybrids, such as a girl who lived in what is now Israel 140,000 years ago, would have had a combination of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens traits (AI Impression). To generate these images, ChatGPT was provided with analysis from experts and descriptions of hybrids from the latest research and asked to visualise the results The girl also showed a 'slight subnasal prognathism', meaning that her jaw would have jutted out much like the famous 'Habsburg chin'. Her spine shows that she would have had a more upright position than a Neanderthal, who typically walked with a curved back. However, the girl's jaw, spine, and pelvis all bear features that appear to be more Neanderthal in their origin. The new discovery was published in the journal l'Anthropologie. A close relative of modern humans, Neanderthals went extinct 40,000 years ago The Neanderthals were a close human ancestor that mysteriously died out around 40,000 years ago. The species lived in Africa with early humans for millennia before moving across to Europe around 300,000 years ago. They were later joined by humans, who entered Eurasia around 48,000 years ago. These were the original 'cavemen', historically thought to be dim-witted and brutish compared to modern humans. In recent years though, and especially over the last decade, it has become increasingly apparent we've been selling Neanderthals short. A growing body of evidence points to a more sophisticated and multi-talented kind of 'caveman' than anyone thought possible. It now seems likely that Neanderthals had told, buried their dead, painted and even interbred with humans. They used body art such as pigments and beads, and they were the very first artists, with Neanderthal cave art (and symbolism) in Spain apparently predating the earliest modern human art by some 20,000 years. They are thought to have hunted on land and done some fishing. However, they went extinct around 40,000 years ago following the success of Homo sapiens in Europe.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Are you sleepy all the time? The 10 surprising foods that could be making it worse – and it's bad news for cheese lovers
Plus, foods to help you snooze better - and five other sleeping hacks NODDING OFF Are you sleepy all the time? The 10 surprising foods that could be making it worse – and it's bad news for cheese lovers CONSTANTLY sleepy throughout the day? What you eat may have something to do with it, scientists say. Researchers from Mass General Brigham linked key metabolites - molecules found in the blood that influenced by diet and hormones - to daytime drowsiness. 1 Aged cheese like cheddar contains tyramine, which could disrupt sleep and make you sleepy during the day Credit: Getty One of these was tyramine, a molecule found in fermented and overripe foods, like cheddar cheese and Parmesan, salami, pickles, soy sauce, tofu and some types of beer. It's not the first time cheese has been linked to poor sleep - researchers from the University of Montreal recently found that dairy could bring on bad dreams. The new study, led by investigators from Mass General Brigham and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, looked into factors behing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) - a condition causing people to nap repeatedly during the day. They identified seven metabolites which they said were linked to EDS. The findings - published in Lancet eBioMedicine - suggest that excessive sleepiness is caused by internal body processes, such as hormone levels, as well as external factors such as diet. Lead author Tariq Faquih, a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: 'Our study suggests diet and genetics may play an important role in EDS. 'As we learn what's happening biologically, we are beginning to understand how and why EDS occurs, the early signs that someone might have it, and what we can do to help patients.' Researchers collected data on 877 metabolites, using blood samples from 6,000 participants. The team also used data from a questionnaire that assessed how often people dozed off during the day. They identified seven metabolites associated with EDS, as well as an additional three metabolites that varied by sex. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt Tyramine was associated with increased daytime sleepiness, especially in men. Meanwhile, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, found in oily fish, nuts and seeds, were associated with lower risk of EDS. According to Benenden Health, "tyramine causes the adrenal gland to release the 'fight or flight' hormone, which increases alertness for a number of hours". Foods high in tyramine include: Aged cheeses like cheddar, feta, blue, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Camembert, brie, Edam and Gruyere Alcohol such as draft or artisan beer or wine Cured meat and processed meat, such as salami, sausage, bacon, mortadella and pepperoni Yeast-extract spreads, such as Marmite and Vegemite Fermented sauces such as soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, miso, Worcestershire sauce and teriyaki sauce Pickled or salt-dried foods like fish Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, tofu Dried or overripe fruits, such as raisins and overripe bananas or avocados Foods that have not been properly stored or are past their 'best-before' date Coffee Researchers said their results suggest dietary changes or medications may help treat EDS. But they noted that their study had some limitations, including difficulty in interpreting exact values of metabolites and using a sleep questionnaire instead of bringing participants into a sleep lab for tests. The team suggested conducting a clinical trial to see if dietary changes or supplements can help reduce daytime sleepiness. They also identified some unknown metabolites that they plan to explore further. 'Conducting a clinical trial would be a big next step and could help us understand if omega-3s and omega-6s obtained from diet could help lower risk of EDS,' Dr Faquih said.
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The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Natural compound found in popular hot drink could protect brain against Alzheimer's, study finds
Scientists have identified two natural compounds that could help reverse ageing in brain cells and remove harmful protein buildup, raising hopes for a non-drug approach to treat Alzheimer's disease. The research, published in the journal GeroScience, identifies two natural compounds, nicotinamide – a form of vitamin B3 – and an antioxidant found in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, which help restore a key molecule that fuels energy production in brain cells. Researchers found that nerve cells treated with these compounds not only experienced reversal of age -related decline but also an enhanced ability to clear away amyloid protein clusters, a hallmark feature of Alzheimer 's. 'As people age, their brains show a decline in neuronal energy levels, which limits the ability to remove unwanted proteins and damaged components,' said Gregory Brewer, lead author of the study. 'We found that restoring energy levels helps neurons regain this critical cleanup function,' Dr Brewer said. Researchers used a fluorescent molecule to track live guanosine triphosphate levels in neurons from aged mice showing signs of Alzheimer 's. Scientists found that the levels of energy-rich molecules GTP declined with age – particularly in the cells' mitochondria – leading to impaired elimination of cells with damaged components in a process called autophagy. While it is known that autophagy, the cell's natural clean-up process, plays a key role in maintaining the health of tissues and organs, what part of ageing causes impairment in this process remains elusive. When aged nerve cells were treated for just 24 hours with the study molecules nicotinamide and epigallocatechin gallate, the GTP levels were restored to levels typically seen in younger cells. 'Our results reveal age and AD-related neuronal GTP energy deficits that impair autophagy,' scientists wrote. The molecules also improved energy metabolism within these cells, as well as efficient clearance of amyloid beta clusters. 'By supplementing the brain's energy systems with compounds that are already available as dietary supplements, we may have a new path toward treating age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease,' Dr Brewer said. 'This study highlights GTP as a previously under-appreciated energy source driving vital brain functions,' he added. Researchers cautioned that more studies are required to find the best way to administer the compounds as treatment. A recent study also showed that nicotinamide was not very effective when taken orally due to its inactivation in the bloodstream. However, the findings point to promising strategies to rescue neurons in the brain's hippocampus from energy deficits related to ageing and Alzheimer's disease, researchers say.
