Genomics analysis indicates that at least 800,000 years ago breeding individuals sank to as few as 1,300
Early human ancestors came close to eradication in a severe evolutionary bottleneck between 800,000 and 900,000 years ago, according to scientists.
A genomics analysis of more than 3,000 living people suggested that our ancestors’ total population plummeted to about 1,280 breeding individuals for about 117,000 years. Scientists believe that an extreme climate event could have led to the bottleneck that came close to wiping out our ancestral line.
About Author
More Stories
The memories lost when a sibling dies | Letters
Microsoft unveils chip it says could bring quantum computing within years
Ex-US security officials urge funding for science research to keep up with China