Latest news with #Denisovan
Spectator
10 hours ago
- Science
- Spectator
We finally know what an ancient species of human looked like
It's said that were you to meet a suited and well-coiffured male Neanderthal on the train, you'd easily mistake him for a fellow commuter. Face-to-face with Dragon man, however, you'd be forgiven for changing carriages. His head has been described as massive and his teeth enormous, and you could prop a book on his brow ridges. His brain was as big as a modern human's – but a different shape. New research links him to a handful of bone fragments dubbed 'Denisovan', an elusive East Asian being. Dragon man has finally put a face on the last of three human species that co-existed for many thousands of years – the others being Neanderthals, and us. Dragon man has finally put a face on the last of three human species that co-existed for many thousands of years – the others being Neanderthals, and us The breakthrough is due to cutting-edge science and two, largely Chinese, teams, analysing DNA and proteins. But like all good fossils, Dragon man has a curious backstory. It begins in 1933, when north-east China was under Japanese occupation. An unnamed labourer, it's said, found a skull when working on a bridge near Harbin City. Perhaps aware of the great interest shown in Peking man, whose fossil remains had only recently been found, he took the traditional Chinese route and hid his treasure down an abandoned well. There it stayed until shortly before his death, when his family learned of it. Word got out, and in 2018 Qiang Ji, professor of palaeontology at Hebei GEO University, persuaded the owners to donate the skull to his institution's geoscience museum. The skull's secret hiding place might have saved it from disappearing into the black market for fossils and antiquities. Whatever really happened, it was exceptionally well preserved and obviously ancient: but almost nothing else was known about it. The immediate questions were: where was it found, and how old was it? With studies comparing its chemistry to geological layers and to other fossils of known age, scientists were able to confirm that it probably had come from the area of the Harbin bridge, where locals have long collected animal fossils thrown up by underwater sand-mining. Uranium isotope dating pointed to an age of at least 146,000 years – contemporary with Neanderthals. At the same time, starting in 2010 with no more than a tooth and a finger bone excavated in a Siberian cave called Denisova, scientists had identified a new type of human. Further finds across East Asia have since included pieces of a rib and two jaws, and a few teeth and undistinguishable scraps. When the Harbin skull was announced, some scientists inevitably wondered if it too might be Denisovan, but there was no evidence to back the idea. One of the teams studying it suggested it could be yet another species, which they named Homo longi – after Long Jiang, or Dragon River. The condition of the Harbin skull is so good, linking it to any known group of early humans would be a great advance. The new studies claim to have proved such a link – with Denisovans. In one study, lead author Qiaomei Fu and colleagues report that they were unable to find any surviving DNA in the skull. They had more luck with calculus (fossil dental plaque) on the skull's one tooth, recovering mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from what they say is Dragon man himself. This most closely matches known Denisovan mtDNA. In the other study, Fu led a different team applying proteomics – analysing ancient proteins, which offer less detail than DNA, but can survive from a greater age. Here again they found a match unique to Denisovans. All three approaches – skull shape, mtDNA and proteins – point to the existence of three human groups existing at this time. The evolutionary relationships between them remains unclear, but they are known to have mated with each other: modern Europeans have a small amount of Neanderthal DNA, and people in South-East Asia, Aboriginal Australia and Pacific islands retain a little DNA from Denisovans. The quest to understand what these three ancient species looked like and how they behaved – early Homo sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans, or what some are now saying we must call Homo longi – is quite literally a journey into our identity. Knowing where the Harbin skull fits in will inspire a rush of new research. Some will dispute the claimed Denisovan matches: they look pretty convincing to me, but it must be admitted that the sciences are entering new ground. On that count, the apparent success of the proteomics and of extracting relevant mtDNA from calculus will spur others to apply the techniques to already known Asian fossils (including skulls), several of which have been suspected as Denisovan. It should also lead to more excavation, the only route to insights into these humans' lives. Dragon man may look scary, but his face at the top of funding proposals could work wonders.
New York Post
20 hours ago
- Science
- New York Post
Fossilized ‘Dragon Man' skull clears up baffling ‘mystery' behind early humans: scientists
A skull, unearthed nearly a century ago, has led to new revelations in the study of human evolution. Known as 'Dragon Man,' the fossil has now been identified as belonging to the Denisovans — a mysterious group of ancient humans whose existence was first revealed through DNA analysis in 2010. The 'Dragon Man' belongs to the Denisovans — a mysterious group of ancient humans. Hebei GEO University Advertisement 'I really feel that we have cleared up some of the mystery surrounding this population,' Qiaomei Fu, a researcher who was a part of the 2010 discovery team and led the new study, told CNN. 'After 15 years, we know the first Denisovan skull.' The findings also provide a glimpse into what the Denisovans may have looked like. Scientists have reconstructed an artist's impression of 'Dragon Man,' showing a robust, blocky face with strong brow ridges, a feature common in other ancient human species. Advertisement With a brain size comparable to both Neanderthals and modern humans, Denisovans would have had a physically powerful appearance, likely adapted to the harsh environments they inhabited. The 'Dragon Man' skull, which dates to 146,000 years ago and was discovered in 1933 by a laborer in Harbin City, China — when it was under Japanese occupation — was long shrouded in mystery. The worker had found the cranium while building a bridge, but rather than handing it over to science, he stashed it at the bottom of a well, where it remained untouched for decades until his death in 2018. His family then donated it to Hebei GEO University, CNN reported. The 'Dragon' Man skull, which was discovered in 1933 by a laborer in Harbin City, China, was long shrouded in mystery. Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Advertisement With the discovery of this nearly complete skull, scientists have finally pieced together a face for the Denisovans, offering new insights into the history of humanity. In 2021, scientists first proposed that the skull might belong to a new species of human, naming it Homo longi, or 'Dragon Man,' which is derived from Heilongjiang, or Black Dragon River, the province where the it was found. The skull's unusual features — such as its massive brow ridges and broad, low face—were unlike those of any previously known human species. However, as exciting as this discovery was, it raised many questions. Advertisement The mystery deepened as researchers struggled to extract DNA from the skull, which had been buried for so long. Despite several attempts, initial efforts to analyze its genetic material proved unsuccessful. It wasn't until scientists turned to a different source — dental plaque — that they found the breakthrough they needed. The DNA pointed to a surprising connection to the Denisovans, an ancient human group that had been identified through a tiny pinky bone found in a Siberian cave over a decade ago. The discovery of this fossil marked the first evidence of Denisovans outside of their original home in Siberia. Until now, no complete Denisovan skull had ever been found, leaving researchers with only small pieces of the puzzle to work with. The 'Dragon Man' skull changes that, providing a much-needed clue to help scientists piece together what these ancient relatives might have looked like. The new research, published in two groundbreaking papers in Cell and Science, not only provided mitochondrial DNA evidence but also revealed protein fragments extracted from the skull that further cemented its Denisovan identity. The analysis of these proteins showed a clear match to known Denisovan traits, confirming the connection beyond doubt. The 'Dragon Man' discovery adds a new layer to our understanding of human evolution, shedding light on a period when multiple human species roamed the Earth. Denisovans, Neanderthals, and early Homo sapiens coexisted and even interbred, leaving behind traces of their DNA in modern humans. In fact, many people today carry small amounts of Denisovan DNA, a legacy of these ancient encounters.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Haunting ‘Dragon Man' skull is first ever found from lost human cousin ‘Denisovan' species that lived 217,000 years ago
The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have help it survive brutal winters in northeastern China BONE BROTHER Haunting 'Dragon Man' skull is first ever found from lost human cousin 'Denisovan' species that lived 217,000 years ago Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE face of humans' most mysterious ancestor has finally been uncovered after 217,000 years. The discovery proves that the 'Dragon Man' of China is indeed a Denisovan, a long lost ancestral species. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovan's had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals Credit: Xijun Ni It is the first time a near-complete skull has been definitively linked to the extinct people. The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovans had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals. They even had more modern features, like delicate cheekbones. Their relatively flat lower face doesn't jut out like it does in other primates and more ancient hominins. The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China. "Having a well-preserved skull like this one allows us to compare the Denisovans to many more different specimens found in very different places," paleoanthropologist Bence Viola of the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the new study, told National Geographic. "This means we might be able to compare their body proportions and start thinking about their adaptations to climate, for example." Scientists have long speculated about the appearance of the mysterious Denisovans. Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a robust jawbone found off the coast of Taiwan in the 2000s which was recently attributed to the Denisovans. But none more intact than the 'Dragon Man' or 'Harbin skull'. Face of oldest direct human ancestor, which lived 3.8million years ago, revealed by scientists A finger bone found in Denisova Cave, Siberia, in 2010 was the first example of the elusive Denisovans - and where they got their unofficial name. "It's really exciting to finally have Denisovan DNA from a nearly complete cranium," Janet Kelso, a computational biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told Nature. "We finally have some insights into the cranial morphology of the Denisovans." 4 Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a robust jawbone found off the coast of Taiwan in the 2000s which was recently attributed to the Denisovans Credit: Yousuke Kaifu In 2021, a team of Chinese researchers made the controversial claim that a bizarre skull they had found could belong to a previously unknown species. They dubbed this unknown species Homo longi, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', inspired by the Long Jiang Dragon River region where the skull was found. The fossil is believed to have been hidden by a Chinese labourer for 85 years, before the man's grandson handed the specimen to Qiang Ji, a palaeontologist at Hebei GEO University in Shijiazhuang in 2018. Ji, who co-authored the original Homo longi paper, suspects the man discovered the artefact himself but failed to report it to authorities. The grandson claimed the fossil was unearthed the fossil in 1933 during bridge-construction work over the Long Jiang river. The construction worker then supposedly buried it in an abandoned well, where it remained until a deathbed confession. When Ji published his findings in 2021, Qiaomei Fu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing - who worked on the very first Denisovan DNA from the Siberian finger bone - wanted to see if they shared any ancient molecules. Ji and Fu's team first attempted to extract ancient DNA from a part of the skull called the petrous bone in the inner ear - where DNA might survive after 146,000 years - and from an attached tooth. They didn't recover any genetic material. But what they did find was sequence fragments from 95 ancient proteins from the petrous samples. One protein sequence from the Dragon Man fossil was identical to that of a protein from the Siberian finger bone, as well as Denisovan bones from Tibet and Taiwan, the experts reveal in two papers published in the journals Science and Cell this week. This protein sequence differed from modern humans and Neanderthals - suggesting the man was likely a Denisovan. "After 15 years, we give the Denisovan a face," said Fu. "It's really a special feeling, I feel really happy." It is understood the new species will adopt the Homo longi name, like we humans are Homo sapiens. 4 The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China Credit: Chuang Zhao
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Haunting ‘Dragon Man' skull is first ever found from lost human cousin ‘Denisovan' species that lived 217,000 years ago
THE face of humans' most mysterious ancestor has finally been uncovered after 217,000 years. The discovery proves that the 'Dragon Man' of China is indeed a Denisovan, a long lost ancestral species. Advertisement 4 The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovan's had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals Credit: Xijun Ni It is the first time a near-complete skull has been definitively linked to the extinct people. The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovans had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals. They even had more modern features, like delicate cheekbones. Their relatively flat lower face doesn't jut out like it does in other primates and more ancient hominins. Advertisement READ MORE ON ARCHAEOLOGY The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China. "Having a well-preserved skull like this one allows us to compare the Denisovans to many more different specimens found in very different places," paleoanthropologist Bence Viola of the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the new study, told " This means we might be able to compare their body proportions and start thinking about their adaptations to climate, for example." Scientists have long speculated about the appearance of the mysterious Denisovans. Advertisement Most read in Science Exclusive Exclusive Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a But none more intact than the 'Dragon Man' or 'Harbin skull'. Face of oldest direct human ancestor, which lived 3.8million years ago, revealed by scientists A finger bone found in Denisova Cave, Siberia, in 2010 was the first example of the elusive Denisovans - and where they got their unofficial name. "It's really exciting to finally have Denisovan DNA from a nearly complete cranium," Janet Kelso, a computational biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told Advertisement "We finally have some insights into the cranial morphology of the Denisovans." 4 Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a robust jawbone found off the coast of Taiwan in the 2000s which was recently attributed to the Denisovans Credit: Yousuke Kaifu In 2021, a team of Chinese researchers made the controversial claim that a bizarre skull they had found could belong to a previously unknown species. They dubbed this unknown species Homo longi, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', inspired by the Long Jiang Dragon River region where the skull was found. Advertisement The fossil is believed to have been hidden by a Chinese labourer for 85 years, before the man's grandson handed the specimen to Qiang Ji, a palaeontologist at Hebei GEO University in Shijiazhuang in 2018. Ji, who co-authored the original Homo longi paper, suspects the man discovered the artefact himself but failed to report it to authorities. The grandson claimed the fossil was unearthed the fossil in 1933 during bridge-construction work over the Long Jiang river. The construction worker then supposedly buried it in an abandoned well, where it remained until a deathbed confession. Advertisement When Ji published his findings in 2021, Qiaomei Fu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing - who worked on the very first Denisovan DNA from the Siberian finger bone - wanted to see if they shared any ancient molecules. Ji and Fu's team first attempted to extract ancient DNA from a part of the skull called the petrous bone in the inner ear - where DNA might survive after 146,000 years - and from an attached tooth. They didn't recover any genetic material. But what they did find was sequence fragments from 95 ancient proteins from the petrous samples. Advertisement One protein sequence from the Dragon Man fossil was identical to that of a protein from the Siberian finger bone, as well as Denisovan bones from Tibet and Taiwan, the experts reveal in two papers published in the journals and this week . This protein sequence differed from modern humans and Neanderthals - suggesting the man was likely a Denisovan. "After 15 years, we give the Denisovan a face," said Fu. "It's really a special feeling, I feel really happy." It is understood the new species will adopt the Homo longi name, like we humans are Homo sapiens. Advertisement 4 The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China Credit: Chuang Zhao 4 It is understood the new species will adopt the Homo longi name, like we humans are Homo sapiens Credit: John Bavaro Fine Art / Science Photo Library
The Sun
a day ago
- Science
- The Sun
Haunting ‘Dragon Man' skull is first ever found from lost human cousin ‘Denisovan' species that lived 217,000 years ago
THE face of humans' most mysterious ancestor has finally been uncovered after 217,000 years. The discovery proves that the 'Dragon Man' of China is indeed a Denisovan, a long lost ancestral species. 4 It is the first time a near-complete skull has been definitively linked to the extinct people. The fossil, which is at least 146,000 years old, reveals Denisovans had a prominent brow ridge and a brain as large as modern humans and Neanderthals. They even had more modern features, like delicate cheekbones. Their relatively flat lower face doesn't jut out like it does in other primates and more ancient hominins. The massive size of the skull also suggests a very large body, which could have helped it survive brutal winters in northeastern China. "Having a well-preserved skull like this one allows us to compare the Denisovans to many more different specimens found in very different places," paleoanthropologist Bence Viola of the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the new study, told National Geographic. "This means we might be able to compare their body proportions and start thinking about their adaptations to climate, for example." Scientists have long speculated about the appearance of the mysterious Denisovans. Other bones relating to the ancient ancestor have been discovered over the decades, such as a robust jawbone found off the coast of Taiwan in the 2000s which was recently attributed to the Denisovans. But none more intact than the 'Dragon Man' or 'Harbin skull'. Face of oldest direct human ancestor, which lived 3.8million years ago, revealed by scientists A finger bone found in Denisova Cave, Siberia, in 2010 was the first example of the elusive Denisovans - and where they got their unofficial name. "It's really exciting to finally have Denisovan DNA from a nearly complete cranium," Janet Kelso, a computational biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told Nature. "We finally have some insights into the cranial morphology of the Denisovans." 4 In 2021, a team of Chinese researchers made the controversial claim that a bizarre skull they had found could belong to a previously unknown species. They dubbed this unknown species Homo longi, nicknamed 'Dragon Man', inspired by the Long Jiang Dragon River region where the skull was found. The fossil is believed to have been hidden by a Chinese labourer for 85 years, before the man's grandson handed the specimen to Qiang Ji, a palaeontologist at Hebei GEO University in Shijiazhuang in 2018. Ji, who co-authored the original Homo longi paper, suspects the man discovered the artefact himself but failed to report it to authorities. The grandson claimed the fossil was unearthed the fossil in 1933 during bridge-construction work over the Long Jiang river. The construction worker then supposedly buried it in an abandoned well, where it remained until a deathbed confession. When Ji published his findings in 2021, Qiaomei Fu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing - who worked on the very first Denisovan DNA from the Siberian finger bone - wanted to see if they shared any ancient molecules. Ji and Fu's team first attempted to extract ancient DNA from a part of the skull called the petrous bone in the inner ear - where DNA might survive after 146,000 years - and from an attached tooth. They didn't recover any genetic material. But what they did find was sequence fragments from 95 ancient proteins from the petrous samples. One protein sequence from the Dragon Man fossil was identical to that of a protein from the Siberian finger bone, as well as Denisovan bones from Tibet and Taiwan, the experts reveal in two papers published in the journals Science and Cell this week. This protein sequence differed from modern humans and Neanderthals - suggesting the man was likely a Denisovan. "After 15 years, we give the Denisovan a face," said Fu. "It's really a special feeling, I feel really happy." It is understood the new species will adopt the Homo longi name, like we humans are Homo sapiens. 4 4
