Ancient DNA reveals Europe’s Neanderthals collapsed to a single surviving lineage before extinction

A new study of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA from sites across Belgium, France, Germany, and Serbia shows that Europe hosted multiple Neanderthal mtDNA lineages until about 65,000 years ago, after which a single southwestern France–origin lineage replaced the others and spread across the continent. This led to reduced genetic diversity among Late Neanderthals and, together with climate pressures, may help explain why Neanderthals in Europe went extinct around 40,000 years ago, though researchers caution that no single cause is responsible.