Paleogeneticists from South Africa and Europe have discovered a previously unknown population of ancient humans who lived in Southern Africa for tens of thousands of years in near-complete isolation. The study revealed that this group had been separated from the rest of humanity for approximately 200,000 years – almost since the emergence of Homo sapiens. This was reported by Uppsala University.
Scientists sequenced the DNA of nearly three dozen ancient South African inhabitants, aged between 150,000 and 10,000 years old. It turned out that 25 individuals belong to haplogroup L0d, which is associated with Khoisan peoples – among the oldest ethnic groups on the planet. Modern-day San people retain approximately 80% of the genetic heritage of these individuals, refuting theories that they emerged after late migrant admixture.
The isolated population preserved a unique set of 79 mutations that distinguish Homo sapiens from other hominids. These changes are linked to brain development, immunity, and kidney function – and could provide a key to understanding how our species evolved.
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