Sequencing the Neanderthalgenome: Mummy? Daddy?
Keyword(s):
The Neanderthals were a hominoid species that became extinct in Europe soon after the anatomically modern humans had migrated there from Africa around 28000–40000 years ago. The sequencing of the Neanderthal genome has begun, and it is hoped to find out whether any gene was transferred from the Neanderthals to modern humans and to identify very recent changes in the human genome that have functional consequences. The results will have great significance for the biological understanding of human evolution and for technological progress in genomics.