New discovery about the origin of modern Europeans

Modern Europeans originate from the three main ancient groups, not the two groups as previously assumed. The new findings were published in the September 17 issue of the British journal Nature, after scientists conducted large-scale genetic analysis.

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So far, the most mainstream hypothesis is that European ancestors were early farm workers from the Middle East who migrated to Europe about 7,500 years ago, hybridizing with village hunters and hunters. location.

However, after DNA analysis, the researchers said there was a third ancient group of people in this combination, those from northern Eurasia. This finding means that a group of people from northern Europe - Asia, who reside on a vast land stretching over the territory of Russia and northern Asia, have provided the genetic resources in both Europe and North America.

The skull of an ancient European was discovered recently.(Source: Nature)

The effects of the ancient group of people from northern Europe - Asia to the Americas were also confirmed in previous studies, showing that more than 15,000 years ago, the flow of people from northern Europe to Europe - Asia has crossed the current area of ​​Alaska through a "ice bridge" connecting islands in the Bering Strait at the time.

The conclusion comes after scientists conducted DNA analysis from nine ancient human skeletons, found in Sweden, Luxembourg and Germany. It was eight prehistoric human skeletons that lived by hunting - gathering about 8,000 years ago, ie before the agricultural era, and a skeleton of farming people from the Middle East, who lived about 7,000 years ago.

Scientist David Reich of Harvard Medical School, the lead author of the study, said the team found a clear genetic transition between indigenous hunter-gatherers and agricultural workers migrated from the Middle East, reflecting the massive migration of new people into Europe from the Middle East.

According to a scientist from Harvard Medical University's research group, the ancestors of ancient ancestors from northern Europe - Asia accounted for the smallest proportion in all parts of Europe today (do not exceed more than 20%), but appear in almost all European groups that scientists have studied, including in the Caucasus and Near East.

Meanwhile, Northern Europeans were primarily from ancient hunters and gatherers (up to 50% of Lithuanians), whereas Southern Europeans mostly had ancestors who were ancient farmers from Middle East.