Archive · 2 Aug 2026
Scientists Find Two Ancient Human Lineages in Modern Genomes
Scientists looked at the DNA of many people from all over the world.
They found two groups of ancient humans that left tiny pieces of their DNA in us.
One group, called a ghost lineage, is in everyone and might be from a species called Homo heidelbergensis.
The other, a super‑archaic lineage, is only in people from Oceania and might come from Homo erectus.
This shows that humans have mixed with many extinct relatives, not just Neanderthals and Denisovans.
Researchers identified two "ghost" lineages hidden in human DNA, one present in all modern humans and another in Oceanians.
The widespread ghost lineage likely dates to Homo heidelbergensis and contributes 0.5–1% of modern genomes.
A "super‑archaic" lineage split from modern humans ~1.8 million years ago, leaving ~0.002% of DNA in Oceanian genomes.
The new method uses genealogical analysis of 500+ present‑day genomes, bypassing the need for ancient DNA samples.
Findings suggest interbreeding with extinct humans was common, challenging the idea of human exceptionalism.
- Who
- Researchers from UC Berkeley, University of Colorado Boulder, and the Natural History Museum in London
- What
- Discovery of two ancient human lineages hidden in modern genomes
- When
- Published July 30, 2024 in the journal Science
- Where
- Based on genomes from around the world, study published in Science
- Why
- To uncover hidden ancient ancestry and understand interbreeding with extinct humans
- Ghost lineage discovered
- Present in all modern humans, ~0.5–1% of genome
- Super‑archaic lineage
- Present in Oceanians, ~0.002% of genome
- Method
- Genealogical analysis of 500+ present‑day genomes
- Estimated divergence
- Ghost lineage ~800,000 years ago; super‑archaic ~1.8 million years ago
- Species likely involved
- Homo heidelbergensis and Homo erectus