DNA of ‘Thorin,’ one of the last Neanderthals, finally sequenced
Scientists have successfully sequenced the DNA of “Thorin,” one of the last Neanderthals to walk the planet, shedding new light on the mysterious disappearance of our closest human relatives. Thorin, named after a dwarf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” was discovered in 2015 at the entrance to the Grotte Mandrin rock shelter in the Rhône River valley of southern France. Although only teeth and portions of the skull have been recovered so far, the analysis of Thorin’s genome has provided valuable insights into the timeline and circumstances surrounding the extinction of Neanderthals.
The DNA analysis revealed that Thorin belonged to a previously unknown lineage that had been isolated for 50,000 years. This isolation suggests small group sizes and long-term genetic separation from other late Neanderthal populations. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the genetic diversity and intermingling of Neanderthal groups.
Thorin’s existence, potentially as recent as 42,000 years ago, places him in close proximity to the time when Neanderthals disappeared from the Earth. By studying his genome, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the factors that contributed to the demise of Neanderthals and the eventual dominance of Homo sapiens.