Unveiling the Distant Past: Denisovan Jawbone Discovery Broadens Our Understanding of Human Evolution

A Denisovan jawbone found off Taiwan's coast shines light on their expansive range across Eurasia. DNA extraction was not possible, but protein analysis confirmed the species. Researchers struggle with dating the fossil, but link it with significant habitat adaptability and genetic legacy in certain Asian populations.

A recent discovery of a Denisovan jawbone off Taiwan's coast provides new insights into this elusive archaic human lineage, illustrating their wide geographical spread across Eurasia. Despite challenges in DNA extraction, protein analysis confirmed the species, revealing the jawbone to belong to a male individual.

The difficulty of determining the age of the fossil persists, with estimates ranging from 10,000 to 190,000 years old. This vast timespan suggests it could be the youngest-known Denisovan fossil. Discovered through dredging in the Penghu Channel, the mandible, alongside various animal fossils, underscores Denisovans' adaptability to different environments, from frigid Siberia to Taiwan's subtropical coasts.

Since Denisovans were only identified in 2010 with remains in Siberia's Denisova Cave, new fossils are vital for understanding their physiology and expansion. Their disappearance coincides with Homo sapiens' migration into Eurasia, yet their genetic footprint lingers in some modern Asian populations, indicating interbreeding events.

(With inputs from agencies.)