Did Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals Interbreed?

Did Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals Interbreed?

Study casts doubt on human-Neanderthal interbreeding theory

August 13, 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/aug/14/study-doubt-human-neanderthal-interbreeding?commentpage=2

Summary: When it was found that modern humans contain DNA from Neanderthals, people came to the conclusion that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals had interbred. Recent studies at Cambridge have lead them toa new hypothesis. Instead of interbreeding, The Neandertal DNA we contain is a remnant of a common ancestor we share with Neanderthals. It was accepted that all non-African peoples have about 4 percent Neanderthal DNA based on an analysis in 2010. Andrea Manica says the analysis hadover estimated the amount of DNA shared by Neanderthals and modern people. The analysis had not taken into account the genetic variation already present between different populations of the ancestors of modern humans in Africa. 

Connection to Our Class: In our class we are both learning about interbreeding and common ancestors. Interbreeding can change the gene pool of a population resulting in microevolution which leads to macroevolution, then a new species is formed. A common ancestor is a organism that evolved into 2 or more organisms. The closer a common ancestor is to a pair of organisms, the more related they are.