From Emily Singer at Quanta:
According to the new findings, published in Genetics this month, Neanderthal genomes were rife with harmful DNA that significantly reduced the species’ fitness. The researchers conclude that Neanderthals were roughly 40 percent less fit than modern humans, meaning they were less likely to produce offspring. More.
Okay, so it turns out we didn’t murder them, like everyone said we had.
That’s the trouble when you’re supposed to be extinct. People can insist that Neanderthals are the Bad Seed and they can’t launch a grievance. Fortunately, even if it’s nonsense, no one gets hurt. Far cry from eugenics.
See also: There’s a gene for that… or is there?
and
Neanderthal Man: The long-lost relative turns up again, this time with documents
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