Scientists Identify Face of the New Species, the Denisovans, After Finding Skull 15 Years Ago

On June 18, Qiaomei Fu, a paleogeneticist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, and her colleagues identified a more than 146,000-year-old skull, found in Harbin, China, as belonging to the Denisovans. Scientists can better understand our ancestors and finally put a face to the skull based on DNA extracted from the fossil, and dental plaque.

Fifteen years ago, Qiaomei Fu found a fragment of a finger bone in a Siberian cave. The 66,000 year old fragment’s DNA resembled the bones of Denisovans, an entirely unknown root of ancient humans. Dr. Fu and her colleagues have identified Denisovan genes in cave sediments and in chromosomes of modern people, showing Denisovans are related to humans.

Dr. Fu found a fossil in Harbin, China, a nearly complete skull. The skull belonged to a male with flat cheeks, a wide mouth, deep eyes, a rounded nose, and a brain larger than the average human. These traits led scientists to classify the fossil as Homo longi. However, Dr. Fu thinks it might be Denisovan. Her team detected a high amount of proteins that other Denisovan remains have had. Dr. Fu tested the DNA of the plaque on the teeth, which traps bacteria and preserves cells. Among the genetic fragments, they identified tiny amounts of DNA that matched the Denisovan lineage. This confirmed that the Harbin skull belonged to a Denisovan individual.

Neanderthals and Denisovans share a common ancestor since DNA found in their remains are similar. The ancestors of Neanderthals and Denisovans split about 400,000 years ago. Neanderthals spread westward, while Denisovans spread eastward, splitting into many branches. The Harbin skull belongs to an ancient branch around 200,000 years old. The 66,000-year-old pinkie bone discovered in the same cave is from a younger branch. This genetic diversity shows that Denisovans were a widespread and varied group with many branches. Despite this breakthrough, the Harbin skull might not be a typical Denisovan. If more Denisovan DNA and proteins are found, scientists may understand the common Denisovan face.

Other experts praised the significance of the findings. Janet Kelso, a geneticist at the Max Planck Institute, called it “fascinating” that DNA was found. John Hawks, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the mystery of the Harbin skull’s identity was “solved.” The discovery sparked debate about names. Some researchers call this group Homo longi, a distinct species; others argue that Denisovans and Neanderthals should be considered groups within Homo sapiens, since both are related to our ancestors.

The Harbin skull discovery marks a major milestone in paleoanthropology. The findings may lead to knowing how our ancient relatives lived and evolved, like what they ate, what conditions they had, etc. Dr. Fu said, “After 15 years, we can finally give the Denisovans a face.” The discovery is expected to trigger lively scientific discussion for years to come and lead to more remarkable discoveries about the history of Denisovans.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/science/ancient-human-denisovan-dna.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iconic-dragon-man-skull-offers-first-glimpse-of-what-a-denisovans-face-looked-like-new-genetic-studies-suggest-180986861/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAfter%2015%20years%2C%20we%20give,It’s%20really%20a%20special%20feeling.%E2%80%9D