Homo sapiens spread into cold steppes in northern Europe 45,000 years ago 

Homo sapiens or the modern human evolved around 200,000 years ago in East Africa near modern-day Ethiopia. They lived in Africa for a long time. About 55,000 years ago they dispersed to different parts of the world including to Eurasia and went on to dominate the world in due course.  

The oldest evidence of human existence in Europe was found in Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria. The human remain at this site was dated to be 47,000 years old implying H. sapiens had reached Eastern Europe by 47,000 years before present.  

Eurasia had, however been land of neanderthals (homo neanderthalensis), an extinct species of ancient humans who lived in Europe and Asia between 400,000 years before present to about 40,000 years before present. They were good tool maker and hunter. H. sapiens did not evolve from neanderthals. Instead, both were close relatives. As shown in fossil records, neanderthals differed markedly from Homo sapiens anatomically in the skull, ear bones and pelvis. The former were shorter in height, had stockier bodies and had heavy brows and big noses. Therefore, based on significant differences in physical traits, neanderthals and homo sapiens are traditionally considered to be two distinct species. Nevertheless, H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens interbred outside Africa when the later met neanderthals in Eurasia after leaving Africa. The present human populations whose ancestors had lived outside Africa have about 2% neanderthal DNA in their genome. Neanderthal ancestry is found in modern African populations as well perhaps because of migration of Europeans into Africa over the past 20,000 years.  

The co-existence of neanderthals and H. sapiens in the Europe has been debated. Some thought that the neanderthals disappeared from northwestern Europe before the arrival of H. sapiens. Based on the study of stone tools and fragments of skeletal remains at the site, it was not possible to determine whether specific excavated levels at archaeological sites are associated with Neanderthals or H. sapiens. After reaching Europe, did H. sapiens live alongside (neanderthals) before neanderthals faced extinction? 

Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ) stone-tool industry at the archaeological site at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany is an interesting case. It could not be conclusively proved whether this site is associated with neanderthals or H. sapiens.  

In studies published recently, researchers extracted the ancient DNA from the skeletal fragments from this site and upon mitochondrial DNA analysis and direct radiocarbon dating of the remains found that remains belonged to modern human population and were about 45,000 years old which makes it the earliest H. sapiens remains in Northern Europe.  

The studies showed that Homo sapiens were present in central and northwestern Europe long before extinction of Neanderthals in southwestern Europe and indicated that both species coexisted in Europe during the transitional period for about 15,000 years. H. sapiens at LRJ were small pioneer groups who were connected to wider populations of H. sapiens in eastern and central Europe.It was also found that around 45,000-43,000 years ago, cold climate prevailed across the sites at Ilsenhöhle and had a cold steppe setting. Directly dated human bones at the site suggest that H. sapiens could use the site and operate thus showing ability to adapt to the prevailing severe cold conditions.  

The studies are significant because it identifies an early spread of H. sapiens into cold steppes in northern Europe 45,000 years ago. The humans could adapt to the extreme cold conditions and operate as small mobile groups of pioneers. 

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References:  

1. Mylopotamitaki, D., Weiss, M., Fewlass, H. et al. Homo sapiens reached the higher latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years ago. Nature 626, 341–346 (2024).  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06923-7 

2. Pederzani, S., Britton, K., Trost, M. et al. Stable isotopes show Homo sapiens dispersed into cold steppes ~45,000 years ago at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Nat Ecol Evol(2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02318-z 

3. Smith, G.M., Ruebens, K., Zavala, E.I. et al. The ecology, subsistence and diet of ~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6  

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