Discovery of bones The find, discovered in a Tibetan cave 3,280 metres above sea level, suggests that the little-known Denisovan people lived on a high, dry plateau for thousands of years.
Researchers discovered more than 2,500 bones in the Baishi Cliff Cave. There are only two places where we can be sure the Denisovans lived: these mysterious hominins were contemporaries of the Neanderthals, Homo sapiensThere is evidence that they interbred with both groups.
of The remains of the Denisovans are only found in three caves. It is unclear when and why they became extinct. This means that any discovery we can make about them is invaluable. Their presence on the harsh Tibetan plateau is a testament to the ancient Human Ability to survive One wide Range Climate and diet.
Recently discovered bones A Denisovan rib, dated to between 48,000 and 32,000 years ago. this same time Homo sapiens It spanned the Eurasian continent, and there is already evidence that ancient humans lived in the area 190,000 years ago.he The new fossils suggest that they survived two cold periods and one warm interglacial period between the Middle and Late Pleistocene.
The Denisovan rib fragments date from 48,000 to 32,000 years ago. Image: Dongju Zhang/Lanzhou University
A nice place to live despite the high altitude
“Fossil and molecular evidence indicates that the Amagasaki Basin, where the Shiraishi Cliff Cave is located, Located“Despite the high altitude, this was a relatively stable environment for the Denisovans,” said Frido Welcker, co-author of the study. study“The question now is, when and why did the Denisovans on the Tibetan Plateau become extinct?.”
Nearly all of the other bones in the cave are animal, indicating the diet of ancient humans. Unfortunately, the bones Such a small piece They are It’s nearly impossible to tell by eye, so instead the researchers used mass spectrometry to analyze the collagen in the bones to determine which species they belonged to.
Majority The bone patterns show that the Denisovans were skilled hunters who used every part of the animals they caught: surface patterns show that they stripped all the meat from the bones and removed all the bones. of Bone marrow, and many fragments Formed tool.
the study ““This study reveals new information about Denisovan behavior and adaptation to high-altitude environments and a changing climate,” one of the researchers said. “We are only just beginning to understand the behavior of this extraordinary hominin. seed.“
