Scientists have successfully dated the remains of a child with both human and Neanderthal features discovered in Portugal 27 years ago.
The "Lapedo child", a four-year-old whose skeleton was found in a rock shelter called Lagar Velho in the centre of the Iberian country, has long fascinated researchers.
When discovered, scientists noted that some of the child's attributes - including body proportions and jawbone - resembled those of Neanderthals.
This suggested the child descended from populations where humans and Neanderthals interbred.
Dating the child's remains has been challenging for scientists. Small roots had grown through the bones and contamination made traditional carbon dating impossible.
Initially, researchers dated charcoal and animal bones surrounding the skeleton to between 27,700 and 29,700 years ago.
Now, using improved techniques, scientists have successfully dated the skeleton itself by measuring proteins found primarily in human bones.
The research, published Friday in the journal Science Advances, confirms the child lived between 27,700 and 28,600 years ago.
Researchers examined part of a crushed arm to obtain these precise dates.
The nearly complete skeleton was stained red, with scientists believing it may have been wrapped in a painted animal skin before burial.
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The discovery initially presented a radical notion - that the child descended from populations where humans and Neanderthals mated and mixed.
While controversial at the time, advances in genetics have since confirmed such populations existed.
People today still carry Neanderthal DNA, supporting the theory of interbreeding between the two groups.
Bethan Linscott, a study author at the University of Miami, described the successful dating as "giving them back a tiny piece of their story, which is a huge privilege."
She reflected that the discovery was more than just a skeleton - it was the grave of a young child.
When working with the bones, Linscott found herself wondering about the child's life.
She pondered who loved the child, what made them laugh, and what their world looked like during the brief four years they lived.
João Zilhão from the University of Lisbon explained why studying human origins matters.
"It's for the same reason we keep the portraits of our parents and grandparents," he said.
"It's a way of remembering," Zilhão added.
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The "Lapedo child", a four-year-old whose skeleton was found in a rock shelter called Lagar Velho in the centre of the Iberian country, has long fascinated researchers.
When discovered, scientists noted that some of the child's attributes - including body proportions and jawbone - resembled those of Neanderthals.
This suggested the child descended from populations where humans and Neanderthals interbred.
Dating the child's remains has been challenging for scientists. Small roots had grown through the bones and contamination made traditional carbon dating impossible.
Initially, researchers dated charcoal and animal bones surrounding the skeleton to between 27,700 and 29,700 years ago.
Now, using improved techniques, scientists have successfully dated the skeleton itself by measuring proteins found primarily in human bones.
The research, published Friday in the journal Science Advances, confirms the child lived between 27,700 and 28,600 years ago.
Researchers examined part of a crushed arm to obtain these precise dates.
The nearly complete skeleton was stained red, with scientists believing it may have been wrapped in a painted animal skin before burial.
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The discovery initially presented a radical notion - that the child descended from populations where humans and Neanderthals mated and mixed.
While controversial at the time, advances in genetics have since confirmed such populations existed.
People today still carry Neanderthal DNA, supporting the theory of interbreeding between the two groups.
Bethan Linscott, a study author at the University of Miami, described the successful dating as "giving them back a tiny piece of their story, which is a huge privilege."
She reflected that the discovery was more than just a skeleton - it was the grave of a young child.
When working with the bones, Linscott found herself wondering about the child's life.
She pondered who loved the child, what made them laugh, and what their world looked like during the brief four years they lived.
João Zilhão from the University of Lisbon explained why studying human origins matters.
"It's for the same reason we keep the portraits of our parents and grandparents," he said.
"It's a way of remembering," Zilhão added.
Find Out More...