max planckinstitute for evolutionary anthropology, neanderthal, pit of bones, sima de los huesos hominins

Oldest Ancient-Human DNA Details the Dawn of Neanderthals

An international team of researchers has now discovered that Neanderthals had a presence in Europe around 430,000 years ago, making it at least 30,000 years earlier than previously assumed. The team of researchers analyzed nuclear DNA that was extracted from the 430,000-year-old bones that were discovered in the Sima de los Huesos, or “Pit of ...

Troy Oakes

A Neanderthal skull.