Neanderthals and humans interbred 47,000 years ago for nearly 7,000 years, research suggests

Neanderthal genes seen in modern humans may have entered our DNA through an interval of interbreeding starting about 47,000 years ago that lasted nearly 7,000 years, new research finds.

To solve this mystery, researchers analyzed more than 300 modern human genomes spanning the past 45,000 years. These included samples from 59 individuals who lived between 2,200 and 45,000 years ago and 275 diverse present-day modern humans. The scientists posted their findings on the BioRxiv preprint database.

The best explanation for most Neanderthal DNA seen in the modern human genome was a single major period of interbreeding about 47,000 years ago that lasted about 6,800 years, the researchers found. The scientists also investigated how Neanderthal DNA persisted in the modern human genome over time. The longer a chunk of Neanderthal DNA lasted, the more likely it bestowed some kind of evolutionary benefit to modern humans. Conversely, Neanderthal DNA that got weeded out quickly likely conferred some type of evolutionary disadvantage.

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