Study Suggests Neanderthals Were Genetically Absorbed by Modern Humans
New research proposes that Neanderthals may have disappeared through gradual genetic assimilation with Homo sapiens, rather than abrupt extinction.
Recent research challenges the traditional view of Neanderthal extinction, suggesting instead that they were gradually assimilated into the Homo sapiens gene pool. A study published in Scientific Reports introduces a mathematical model indicating that sustained interbreeding between small groups of Neanderthals and incoming modern humans could have led to the near-complete genetic absorption of Neanderthals over 10,000 to 30,000 years.
The researchers, including Andrea Amadei, Giulia Lin, and Simone Fattorini, utilized a model based on neutral species drift, which posits that most evolutionary changes are due to random genetic variations rather than selective advantages. Their findings suggest that continuous gene flow from a larger Homo sapiens population could account for the gradual disappearance of distinct Neanderthal genetic markers. This scenario aligns with growing evidence of interbreeding and genetic introgression through recurrent Homo sapiens immigration waves.
This perspective is supported by genomic analyses revealing that present-day non-African populations carry approximately 1–4% Neanderthal DNA. The study's authors acknowledge that while other factors may have contributed to the decline of Neanderthals, their results highlight genetic admixture as a possible key mechanism driving their disappearance.
The paper, titled "A simple analytical model for Neanderthal disappearance due to genetic dilution by recurrent small-scale immigrations of modern humans," was published in Scientific Reports on November 4, 2025.