Research reveals that human ancestors (Homo sapiens) did not come from a specific population in Africa. There was long-term genetic mixing until Homo sapiens appeared.
From a study that revealed the genetic material of the current population in Africa and its comparison with the early population of Homo sapiens, researchers discovered a new model of human evolution. Science Daily published, Monday (5/6/2023) if it was previously understood that Homo sapiens came from Africa, it turns out that there are many unanswered questions. Including the question of how humans in the world have different genetics and different characteristics.
"This uncertainty is due to the limited fossil data and ancient genomic data, and the fact that the fossil record is not always consistent with expectations from models built using modern DNA," said Professor of Anthropology and the Genome Center at UC Davis and corresponding author of the study Brenna Henn.
"This new research changes the explanation of the origin of species," he added.
Research led by Henn and Simon Gravel from McGill University tested various models of evolution and migration across Africa. They combined genomic data of Southern, Eastern, and Western African populations. The researchers also produced genetic data from modern human saliva samples during 2012-2015.
In short, this research shows that the earliest population dispersion process among ancient humans occurred 120,000-135,000 years ago. It happened after two or more populations of Homo, which were genetically different, mixed for hundreds of thousands of years.
From this study it was revealed that it is very likely that modern humans did not come from one population in Africa. There is a greater and more complicated intermingling that produces different human beings all over the world.