Latest news with #humanmigration
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Ancient DNA fills ‘critical gap' in genetic history of Tibetans
A study confirms China's Yunnan province as a key crossroads of human migration, revealing that the ancestors of the Tibetan people, including a mysterious 'ghost' population, originated there over 7,100 years ago. The research helps solve mysteries about human spread across East Asia, showing that humans split into northern and southern branches at least 19,000 years ago, with Tibetans carrying genes from northern East Asians and an unknown 'ghost' group. Scientists sequenced DNA from over 125 individuals who lived in Yunnan between 7,100 and 1,500 years ago, discovering a 7,100-year-old individual genetically distinct from most modern East Asians, potentially representing Tibet's 'ghost' lineage. Researchers suggest this 'ghost' lineage likely diverged from other early Asian people over 40,000 years ago and survived in southern regions due to stable climates during the Ice Age. The findings indicate that Yunnan was an important crossroads where different groups met and mixed, with a unique 'central Yunnan' ancestry appearing around 5,500 years ago, shaping the genes of people speaking Austroasiatic languages today.
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Ancient DNA reveals a new group of people who lived near land bridge between the Americas
NEW YORK — Scientists have identified a new pod of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived near the land bridge between North America and South America about 6,000 years ago. Researchers are still charting how human populations spread across the Americas thousands of years ago , arriving first in North America before veering south. Groups that split off developed their own collection of genes that scientists can use to piece together the human family tree.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Ancient DNA reveals a new group of people who lived near land bridge between the Americas
Scientists have identified a new pod of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived near the land bridge between North America and South America about 6,000 years ago. Researchers are still charting how human populations spread across the Americas thousands of years ago, arriving first in North America before veering south. Groups that split off developed their own collection of genes that scientists can use to piece together the human family tree. Discovered through ancient DNA, the group lived in the high plateaus of present-day Bogotá, Colombia — close to where the Americas meet. Scientists aren't sure exactly where they fall in the family tree because they're not closely related to ancient Native Americans in North America and also not linked to ancient or present-day South Americans. The new study was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. 'Up to this point, we didn't believe there was any other lineage that would appear in South America," said archaeologist Andre Luiz Campelo dos Santos with Florida Atlantic University who was not involved with the new research. 'This is unexpected.' Just 4,000 years later, these ancient humans were gone and a genetically-different human clan inhabited the area. Scientists aren't sure exactly what happened to make them fade away — whether they mixed into a new, bigger group or were pushed out entirely. Analyzing more genes in South America will help confirm if this new group truly did disappear or if there could be evidence of their descendants elsewhere, said Campelo dos Santos. Studying these ancient Colombian genes are important to piecing together the history of the Americas since ancient people had to cross this land bridge to settle in and spread across South America. The area is 'the gateway to the South American continent,' said study author Andrea Casas-Vargas with the National University of Colombia. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Ancient DNA reveals a new group of people who lived near land bridge between the Americas
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have identified a new pod of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived near the land bridge between North America and South America about 6,000 years ago. Researchers are still charting how human populations spread across the Americas thousands of years ago, arriving first in North America before veering south. Groups that split off developed their own collection of genes that scientists can use to piece together the human family tree. Discovered through ancient DNA, the group lived in the high plateaus of present-day Bogotá, Colombia — close to where the Americas meet. Scientists aren't sure exactly where they fall in the family tree because they're not closely related to ancient Native Americans in North America and also not linked to ancient or present-day South Americans. The new study was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. 'Up to this point, we didn't believe there was any other lineage that would appear in South America,' said archaeologist Andre Luiz Campelo dos Santos with Florida Atlantic University who was not involved with the new research. 'This is unexpected.' Just 4,000 years later, these ancient humans were gone and a genetically-different human clan inhabited the area. Scientists aren't sure exactly what happened to make them fade away — whether they mixed into a new, bigger group or were pushed out entirely. Analyzing more genes in South America will help confirm if this new group truly did disappear or if there could be evidence of their descendants elsewhere, said Campelo dos Santos. Studying these ancient Colombian genes are important to piecing together the history of the Americas since ancient people had to cross this land bridge to settle in and spread across South America. The area is 'the gateway to the South American continent,' said study author Andrea Casas-Vargas with the National University of Colombia. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Gene study whispers ancient tales of longest human trek, from Asia to Americas
An extensive genetic analysis by an international team of researchers has traced the longest ever migration of humans from Asia to the Americas, shedding new light on the prehistoric human expansion that shaped the early genetic landscape of the western hemisphere. 'Our findings show that Native Americans are descendants of Asian populations , particularly from the West Beringian region,' said corresponding author Hie Lim Kim, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The study also found that early migrants to South America formed distinct groups that remained isolated due to environmental conditions. 01:31 Ancient Mayan crypt reveals human remains may have been used to make rubber balls for sport Ancient Mayan crypt reveals human remains may have been used to make rubber balls for sport The work, led by researchers at the GenomeAsia 100K consortium, could reveal new clues about disease susceptibility and drug responses among indigenous populations, who have faced major population declines. Humans expanded across Eurasia before the end of the last ice age, eventually migrating into the Americas. 'Those who reached Patagonia, at the southern tip of South America , completed the longest migration out of Africa,' the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science on Friday. Archaeological evidence shows that human migration from northern Asia to South America was under way by at least 23,000 years ago, with a human presence at the southern tip of South America confirmed by 14,500 years ago.
