Core Viewpoint - The research team led by Qiaomei Fu has successfully linked a nearly complete Middle Pleistocene human skull fossil from Harbin, China, to the extinct Denisovans, providing the first clear depiction of their appearance and ending 15 years of speculation about their looks [4][26]. Group 1: Research Findings - The skull fossil, dated to be at least 146,000 years old, was found to contain ancient proteins and DNA, confirming its association with Denisovans [4][26]. - The study published in Science and Cell journals represents a significant advancement in understanding the morphology and geographical distribution of Denisovans in Asia during the Middle Pleistocene [26][29]. - The research utilized a novel method to extract host DNA from dental calculus, marking the first successful extraction of such DNA from Pleistocene dental plaque [25][29]. Group 2: Historical Context - The skull was discovered in 1933 by a construction worker in Harbin, who kept it hidden until his death, leading to its eventual donation to Hebei University of Geosciences in 2018 [20][21]. - In 2021, the skull was initially proposed to represent a new human lineage named "Dragon Man" (Homo longi), but subsequent studies indicated its potential classification as a Denisovan [22][24]. - The research team compared ancient protein sequences from the skull with those of Neanderthals, modern humans, and Denisovans, confirming its affiliation with Denisovans [24][26].
80后中国女科学家研究成果一天内同时等上Cell、Science、Nature,让我们首次看清已灭绝的丹尼索瓦人样貌
生物世界·2025-06-20 07:14