Nature study: First ancient DNA from West Africa illuminates the deep human past

(Saint Louis University) The research team sequenced DNA from four children buried 8,000 and 3,000 years ago at Shum Laka in Cameroon, a site excavated by a Belgian and Cameroonian team 30 years ago. The findings, published Jan. 22 in Nature, represent the first ancient DNA from West or Central Africa, and some of the oldest DNA recovered from an African tropical context. They enable a new understanding of the deep ancestral relationships among early Homo sapiens in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news