Research Reveals Denisovans Thrived on Tibetan Plateau for 160,000 Years

Jul 3, 2024, 06:56 PM

Recent research has unveiled fascinating insights into the Denisovans, an ancient human species that thrived on the Tibetan plateau. A high-altitude cave used by Tibetan Buddhists has yielded a Denisovan fossil, revealing that these ancient humans hunted snow leopards and other animals in the region. The findings, published in a collaborative paper, indicate that Denisovans lived in Tibet between 48,000 and 32,000 years ago and survived in one of Earth's harshest climates for over 160,000 years. Researchers used paleoproteomics to analyze a Denisovan rib bone, along with animal bones and tools, to uncover these details. This study, conducted at Baishiya Karst Cave, highlights the remarkable adaptability and resilience of the Denisovans in coping with their challenging environment and their subsistence strategies.