Svante Pääbo Links Neanderthal Extinction to Human Population Growth
Svante Pääbo, a pioneer in paleogenetics and Nobel laureate, has significantly advanced our understanding of human evolution by sequencing Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes, revealing interbreeding with modern humans, and exploring genetic traits inherited from these ancient relatives. His work suggests that modern humans absorbed Neanderthals rather than exterminated them, and highlights the influence of ancient DNA on present-day health and behavior. Pääbo also discusses the potential and limitations of reconstructing extinct species' genomes and the ethical considerations involved.