Neanderthals and us

'Genetic research shows that most people outside of Africa have about 2% Neanderthal DNA. We think that the modern humans who spread into Asia around 60,000 years ago interbred with the Neanderthals. Since these migrants were the ancestors of all people outside of Africa, they took their small bits of Neanderthal DNA with them as they spread out across the rest of the world.'
Prof Chris Stringer, human origins expert

Expert Prof Chris Stringer discusses what this Neanderthal inheritance may have meant for the early modern humans who migrated out of Africa, and what it means for us today.

Interbreeding may have helped early modern humans adapt quickly to new environments, as they acquired genes from Neanderthals who had lived there for many thousands of years.

Some Neanderthal DNA is found in parts of the human genome that are associated with skin and hair, maybe giving our ancestors thicker hair and skin that helped them cope better with the colder climate, or a greater resistance to diseases. Other DNA inherited from Neanderthals seems to help boost immunity, perhaps providing a quick fix against local infections.

But it's not all good news. Neanderthal DNA in modern humans seems to be associated with an increased risk of developing diseases such as thrombosis, lupus and Crohn's. Some of the negative effects in modern humans may have been triggered by our immune systems or changes to our lifestyles over many thousands of years.

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