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This Theory Explains the Neanderthal DNA Mystery - David Reich - YouTube

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David Reich's groundbreaking research reveals how ancient interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans left a genetic legacy that reshapes everything we thought we knew about human evolution.

Archaic Admixture TheoryPopulation GeneticsNatural SelectionOut of Africa Model

Theory Briefing

  • Neanderthal DNA persists in modern non-African humans at roughly 1-4%, a fingerprint of ancient interbreeding events Reich's lab decoded.
  • Reich's population genetics framework shows gene flow between archaic and modern humans was not a one-time event but a complex, multi-directional exchange.
  • Some inherited Neanderthal variants affect immunity and disease risk today, proving ancient admixture has real consequences for living humans.