Late Neanderthals Were Genetically Diverse, Challenging Inbreeding Doom Theory
A high-resolution genetic study of 27 late Neanderthals from Belgium and France shows low inbreeding and widespread population connectivity, arguing that genetic deterioration was unlikely the main cause of their extinction. The findings suggest a diverse, interconnected NW European Neanderthal population amid ecological pressures and demographic shifts, with limited evidence of Neanderthal-to-human DNA transfer and a largely asymmetric flow of genes into modern humans.