JOURNAL ARTICLE

50,000-year-old Neanderthal bones harbour the oldest known human viruses.

  • Published In: How It Works, 2024, n. 192. P. 19 1 of 3

  • Database: Science Reference Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: COOKE, EMILY 3 of 3

Abstract

Researchers have discovered traces of three ancient viruses in the bones of Neanderthals who lived 50,000 years ago. These viruses are the oldest remnants of human viruses ever found and are 20,000 years older than the previous record. The viruses found in the Neanderthal DNA are similar to modern viruses that cause cold and flu-like symptoms, genital warts, and cold sores. The discovery supports the theory that viruses may have played a role in the extinction of Neanderthals. While the idea of resurrecting ancient viruses is concerning, it is unlikely to happen soon due to the lack of understanding of how to reconstruct the viral genome. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:How It Works. 2024/08, Issue 192, p19
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Consumer Health
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:2041-7322
  • Accession Number:178144233
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